Sherwood Smith began making books out of taped paper towels when she was five years old, and at eight began writing stories about another world full of magic and adventure -- and hasn't stopped yet. She has published more than two dozen books, ranging from space opera to children's fantasy. Her children's fantasies have shown up on many library Best Books lists. One, Wren's War, was a finalist for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award and was an Anne Spencer Lindbergh Honor Book. She has run writing workshops for nearly twenty years and has been active in organizing and participating in online workshops for more than ten. Her other young-adult books include Crown Duel, Wren to the Rescue, and Wren's Quest. Married more than twenty years (two kids, two dogs, and a house full of books), Ms. Smith is currently a part-time teacher as well as a writer. She lives in Southern California.

William Stout is a collector of books on late nineteenth-century artists as well as turn-of-the- century children's books, and owns a complete collection of all of the original Oz color-plate books, including a first edition of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Years ago he spent nine months designing an entire Wizard of Oz theme park for Kansas, which he says was one of his all-time favorite jobs. Mr. Stout has worked as an art director for rock magazines and has illustrated record album covers, Sunday and daily newspaper comic strips, and Eisner Award–winning graphic novels. He's been involved in production design in film and ultimately worked on the advertising for more than one hundred twenty films. Mr. Stout also worked for Walt Disney Imagineering as a conceptualist, designer, producer, and planner for EuroDisneyland, Disneyland, TokyoDisneyland, and Walt Disney World. He currently resides in Pasadena, California, with his wife and two sons.