Dena ?)– Landon (1978() Biography

Born 1978. Education: Gordon College, B.A. (business administration), 1999.

Addresses

Agent—c/o Author Mail, Dutton, Penguin Putnam, 375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014.

Career

Dancer, writer, and teacher. Formerly worked in finance; Allegro School of Dance, Rochester, NY, dance teacher; participant in Boulder Jazz Dance Workshop.

Writings

Shapeshifter's Quest, Dutton Children's Books (New York, NY), 2005.

Work in Progress

Canal Dancer and The Carver.

Sidelights

Raised in the Pacific Northwest, Dena Landon grew up dedicating much of her free time to her two major passions: writing and dance. In addition to working as a dance teacher and performer, Landon has also achieved success as a writer, publishing her novel Shapeshifter's Quest in 2005. In this debut fantasy, Landon depicts the adventures of Syanthe, an eighteen year old able to transform herself into another shape at will. Others of her race have been marked by the king of the land in order to control their movements, and because she has been hidden and is not tattooed, Syanthe realizes that
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she alone has the ability to save her race from extinction. Able to transition between human and animal form, the young woman joins the ranks of a distinguished warrior fleet in the hopes of achieving her destiny and protecting her species as the king's corrupt reign causes the vitality of both the land and its people to wither and die.

"Despite an action-packed and highly detailed plot, Landon creates a quiet, spiritual tone, emphasizing Sy-anthe's physical and emotional connection to nature," commented Booklist reviewer Debbie Carton in a review of Shapeshifter's Quest. According to Carton, Landon entertains readers by creating a "plucky heroine" and a "richly imagined world where magic abounds," while a Kirkus Reviews critic deemed the author's fantasy fiction debut "beautifully written."