Spin the Dawn
Maia Tamarin has always dreamed of becoming a master tailor, but in a kingdom where the trade is closed to women, the closest she can come is stitching in her father's shop. When the ailing man is summoned to compete for the position of imperial tailor, Maia takes his place in disguise, risking everything her secret could cost her.
Chosen as a finalist over rivals who trained their whole lives for the honor, Maia is given an impossible commission: three dresses cut from the sun, the moon, and the stars, meant as a wedding gift for the emperor's reluctant bride. Completing them means a hard journey through territory shaped by old folklore and older magic, alongside Edan, the court enchanter whose help comes with its own complications.
Inspired by East Asian folklore and reworking the Grimm fairy tale motif of an impossible dress, Spin the Dawn is the opening book of The Blood of Stars, a young adult fantasy that pairs a competition narrative with a slower-building quest.
A tailor's daughter who disguises herself as a boy to compete for the imperial tailor position.
The court enchanter who becomes entangled in Maia's quest.