Jess Wells is the author of four novels, four books of short stories, and anthologies of fiction and social commentary. Her latest work of historical fiction, "A Slender Tether", is set in Paris is the 1300s. She is a recipient of a San Francisco Arts Commission Grant for Literature and a four-time finalist for the Lambda Literary Award. Her short stories have been included in more than three dozen literary anthologies. Jess teaches workshops at writing conferences and art centers on "How to Write Historical Fiction" and other topics. A SLENDER TETHER"A Slender Tether" set amid the turbulent weather of Europe's Little Ice Age, offers three compelling tales of self-discovery, woven into a rich tapestry of 14th century France. Christine de Pizan, daughter of a disgraced court physician and astrologer, grapples with her ambition to be the first woman writer in France. A doctor finds an unusual way to cope with the death of his wife. And opportunity alternates with disasters in the lives of four commoners, yoked by necessity: a paper-maker struggling to keep his business, a falconer with a mysterious past, a merchant's daughter frantic to avoid an arranged marriage, and a down-on-his-luck musician with a broken guitar and the voice of an angel.Reviewers say:“Jess Wells (The Mandrake Broom) has mastered the art of the immersive historical, exemplified by her latest release from Fireship Press, A Slender Tether.... brilliantly conceived and perfectly executed, A Slender Tether is an engaging, rewarding read. Highly recommended.” – Jerry Wheeler, in Out in Print“Wells has spun this woman's tale into an intriguing and engrossing story that will set readers seeking more… Wells has an incredible ability to teach without diatribe, tells a wickedly engrossing tale full of empathy (and, in this case, more than a little sympathy), and knows her history cold. Jess Wells is just bloody brilliant. Go. Buy. Read.” – ‘Nathan Burgoine writing on RedRoom.com THE MANDRAKE BROOM"The Mandrake Broom", dramatizes the fight to save medical knowledge during the witch-burning times in Europe 1465-1540. Reviewers say:“Set in Europe in the 14-1500s this is a well-researched, complex, and exciting historical novel. Never dull, there is plenty of danger, adventure, and love in this small package. Published as an adult novel, teens who enjoy historical fiction will find this a worthwhile read. – RainbowBooks “Excellent novel, great historical fiction. I highly recommend this book. It works as a quest, a thriller, an action adventure set in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, during the time of the Plague, the Inquisition, witch burnings, the Middle Ages. ..This is beautiful writing with great tension and pace. It really kept me plugged in, pulling for the protagonists, aching for them really. Great characters. This is the best historical fiction I’ve read in a very long time. Wells made the urgency of the time come alive.” – Bett Norris, author of Miss McGhee