Tamara Payne

Tamara Payne is an award-winning author of children's books that explore familiar and unfamiliar cultures through the eyes of courageous characters. Payne's books range from the lyrical to the suspenseful, always offering readers something unique. Payne's goal is to show her audience that the world is more mysterious and wonderful than they ever imagined.

Payne is a graduate of the University of California, Irvine and a current professor of English at Saddleback College in California. She began writing as a child and honed her skills in graduate school, where she soon developed an admiration for the works of Edgar Allan Poe, Ray Bradbury, and other classic authors. Payne's own works soon followed in their footsteps, creating exciting, thought provoking stories that combine the elements of mystery and magical realism with a modern twist.

Payne’s first published work was "The Painted Wave," which won the 1998 Phi Beta Kappa Award. This book follows the story of an imaginative sixth grader who has been told by his mother not to explore the mysterious watery cave nearby. As it turns out, the cave is actually a portal to a magical world of mythical creatures, and young Mark must set off to understand its secrets.

The Painted Wave was followed in 2004 by Payne's second book, "The Taking Tree." Set in an old-growth forest, this story follows a young girl who believes that an ancient tree is the source of her family's secrets. She attempts to outwit a powerful owl and unravel the mystery, while learning to rely on her own courage.

In 2007, Payne released "The Middle of Everywhere," an epic adventure novel set in a distant, war-torn world. This story follows three brave children on a great adventure to find a missing prince in the ruins of his kingdom. Along the way, they discover a hidden temple guarded by a mysterious spirit, where they uncover a powerful secret.

In 2017, Payne released her fifth novel, "The Unforgettable," which won the 2018 Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction for Children's Literature. This book is about the friendship between two brave young girls on the brink of war, Zain and Malena. With courage and loyalty, their friendship survives not only the destruction of their homes, but also the magical creatures who have come to take over their world.

In addition to her novels, Payne has also published several short stories and poems in The Northern Light and The American Star. Payne’s work is available in English, Spanish, French, and more, and can be found on Amazon and other online booksellers. She is currently working on her sixth book, which is due out in 2021.

Payne's work stands out for its dynamic storytelling, imaginative settings, and courageous themes. Through her stories, Payne invites her readers to explore the unfamiliar, dig deeper into their own courage, and ultimately discover the hidden beauty all around them.