The Schemes of Dragons

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This book would not have been the same without the contributions of the following people.

For material and financial support: Connie Willeford Smeds; Bob Fleming amp; Cherie Kushner; Alfred, Josephine, Fred, and Paula Smeds.

For commentary on the manuscript: First of all, to the Spellbinders, Inc.: Deborah L. Sweitzer, Shirley Johnston, Brian Crist, Bob Fleming, Marian Gibbons, Pras Stillman, Cherie Kushner, P.M.S. Faught, Jonathan Sachs, Walter Sauers, Lucy Buss, Dinaan McClure, Ken Macklin, Steve Swenston, Marge Windus, Jon James, Hank Roberts, James D. Hudnall, James Ellison. And to the others: Connie Willeford Smeds, Rebecca Priest, Paul Avellar, Jim Musto, Sheri Cohen, Robbyn Fenster, Kathy Payne, Sasha Miller, Joel Fruchtman, Obert Sonsten, Jamie Willeford.

For the cartography, astronomy, and some of the place names: John Gast.

About the Author

Dave Smeds is a Nebula Award finalist, and author of books such as Piper In The Night, X-Men: Law Of The Jungle, Martial Arts Masters: Chuck Norris, as well as The War of the Dragons trilogy. His short fiction has appeared in magazines, including Asimov's Science Fiction, Realms of Fantasy, and The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, and anthologies, including In the Field of Fire, Full Spectrum IV, Peter S. Beagle's Immortal Unicorn, and the erotic fantasy anthology Sirens and Other Demon Lovers. His writing has been translated into more that a dozen languages. Dave holds a black belt in goju-ryu Karate, and when he's not writing he can often be found teaching martial arts. The Sorcery Within, Book One of The War of the Dragons, is also published by Scorpius.

Photo by Shel Waggener

An Excerpt from The Sorcery Within

Book One of The War of the Dragons

under the sword lifted high

There is hell making you tremble;

But go ahead

And you have the land of bliss.

Musashi Miyamoto (1582-1645)