The Glasswrights' Test

From the author of the acclaimed Glasswright's series comes this chilling tale. Alana Woodsinger was not ready to accept the lifelong responsibility of being the singer, but the Great Tree chose her. In the seaside village of the Headland of Slaughter, the Tree is the keeper of the past and the guardian of the people. Now she must sing the day's events and return from the Tree with its wisdom. Her people count on her to give them hope for the future. During the spring celebration, two of the village children are kidnapped and Alana must find a way to use her unwished-for power to guide a trio of villagers in rescuing the children. But darker forces are at work, great sacrifices must be made, and things get worse when the children turn out not to wish to be saved . . . Mindy L. Klasky learned to read when her parents shoved a book in her hands and told her that she could travel anywhere in the world through stories. She never forgot that advice. Klasky's travels took her through multiple careers. After graduating from Princeton University, Klasky considered becoming a professional stage manager or a rabbi. Ultimately, though, she settled on being a lawyer, working as a litigator at a large Washington firm. When she realized that lawyering kept her from writing (and dating and sleeping and otherwise living a normal life), Klasky became a librarian, managing large law firm libraries. She now writes full time. For years, Klasky's dating life was a travel extravaganza as well. She balanced twenty-eight first dates in one year, selecting eligible gentlemen from sources as varied as Washingtonian Magazine ads, Single Volunteers of D.C., and supposedly certain recommendations from best friends. Ultimately, she swore off the dating scene entirely. After two years of carefully enforced datelessness, she made one last foray onto Match.com, where she met her husband-on her first match. Klasky's travels have taken her through various literary genres. In addition to her Red Dress Ink books, Klasky has written numerous short stories and six fantasy novels, including the award-winning, bestselling The Glasswrights' Apprentice. In her spare time, Klasky quilts, cooks, and tries to tame the endless to-be-read shelf in her home library. Her husband and cats do their best to fill the leftover minutes.