(Co-authors of Pocket Books' "Tiana Swordswoman" novels. Bio by Richard K. Lyon)

"By profession Andy Offutt is a writer while I'm a research scientist with writing as a much enjoyed hobby. After I sold my first story we had occasion to exchange letters. On learning that I had a
novel I couldn't sell he asked to see it. After I sent it he wrote me an extremely long letter, many pages pounding on me for my sins against the English language and its grammar. On the last page he
commented that despite my many sins I did have a good story. Would I like him to rewrite? Since half of something is more than all of nothing, I agreed and the collaboration was off and running.

"As things worked out, Andy and I wrote and published four novels together. The problem that finally made us stop was that we were having too much fun. While that was fine by me since I was in it mostly for fun, Andy had a living to earn and the fun was eating a lot of his time.

"When our collaboration ended there was a lot still 'in the pipeline'. While THE LONG DARK ROAD TO WIZARDRY contains much that's due to Andy, I have to accept the blame for any shortcomings.

"If, Dear Reader, you want to comment on this story, you can e-mail me at Rlyonheart@worldnet.att.net. Andy has much the same attitude toward the Internet, that he does toward the Antarctic: he has no plans to go either place. Since he doesn't have an e-mail address, I'll print out your comments and snail-mail them to him."

Richard can be reached at lyonheart@cableone.net