Mercedes Lackey (born June 24, 1950) is a best-selling American author of fantasy novels. Many of her novels and trilogies are interlinked and set in the world of Velgarth, mostly in and around the country of Valdemar. Her Valdemar novels form a complex tapestry of interaction between human and non-human protagonists with many different cultures and social mores. Her other main world is one much like our own; but it includes clandestine populations of elves, mages, vampires, and other mythical beings. The Bedlam's Bard books describe a young man with the power to work incredible magics through music; the SERRAted Edge books are about racecar-driving elves; and the Diana Tregarde thrillers center on a Wiccan who combats evil. Lackey was born in Chicago, an event that prevented her father from being called to serve in the Korean War. She places her meeting with science fiction at age 10 or 11, when she happened to pick up her father's copy of James H. Schmitz's Agent of Vega. She then read Andre Norton's Beast Master and Lord of Thunder and continued to read all of Norton's works—Lackey noted with chagrined amusement the difficulties of obtaining enough interesting books from the public library to sate her passion for reading. She wrote for herself but without real direction or purpose until she attended Purdue University. Lackey graduated from Purdue in 1972. While at Purdue, she took a one-on-one class of English Literature Independent Studies with a professor who was a fellow science fiction fan. He helped her analyze books she enjoyed and then use that knowledge. Lackey then encountered fan fiction, which further encouraged her writing. She began publishing work in science fiction fanzines and then discovered filk and had some filk lyrics published by Off Centaur Publications. She submitted a story to Sword and Sorceress, then sold the rewritten story to Fantasy Book Magazine. Her first sale was to Friends of Darkover. She met C. J. Cherryh through filk, who mentored her during the writing of her 'Arrows' series. During this time, Marion Zimmer Bradley included her short stories in an anthology; and Cherryh helped Lackey through 17 rewrites of 'Arrows'. During this time, she claims to have been writing so much that she had no social life at all. She divorced Tony Lackey, and eventually married Larry Dixon. Despite getting her own start as a fan fiction author, she and her agent strongly forbade fanfiction based on her own books for many years, whether distributed offline or online. Lackey stated on her website that this was due to the 1992 Marion Zimmer Bradley fan fiction affair, when a fan accused Bradley of copying the fan's work, and demanded writing credit and remuneration. After several years, Lackey's policy permitted offline fanfic, but only if the author got a release form from Mercedes Lackey that said the author acknowledged that they were using characters that belong to Mercedes Lackey and that the author's work essentially became Mercedes Lackey's property to prevent "infringing on my right to make a living from my own imagination". As of 2009 this policy appears to have changed per the author's official website. Lackey lives with her husband Larry Dixon outside of Tulsa, Oklahoma, in an unusual house. She describes it as a "2½-story concrete dome with an octagonal wooden shell over it to make it look more like a normal house ... it's round with curved outer walls, which makes placement of furniture kind of awkward." (Valdemar Companion, 68) She and Dixon have in the past worked in raptor rehabilitation. She often refers to her various parrots as her "feathered children". The afterwords to some of her books refer to rehabilitation and falconry, and it is clear that this interest has influenced and informed her writing. She also enjoys beadwork, costuming, and needlework. She claims, however, to be a "wretched housekeeper, and by and large an indifferent cook" (Valdemar Companion, p 64) Besides this, she does radar-reading during tornado season. She helps support the Alex Foundation. Lackey is active in the ball-jointed doll community. She owns several dolls, many of which she has customized in the likenesses of her characters. Historically, Lackey was active in the filking community. She was a major contributor to an early album of space filk, Minus Ten and Counting. She has won five Pegasus Awards, mostly for her songwriting. She was also active in the Society for Creative Anachronism, and belongs to the Great Dark Horde. She is participating in the The Stellar Guild series published by Phoenix Pick. The series pairs bestselling authors like Lackey with lesser known authors in science fiction and fantasy to help provide additional visibility to them. CONTENT: 1.The Outstretched Shadow (read by Susan Ericksen)2.To Light A Candle (read by Susan Ericksen)3.When Darkness Falls (read by Susan Ericksen)4.The Phoenix Unchained (read by William Dufris)5.The Phoenix Endangered (read by William Dufris)6.The Phoenix Transformed (read by William Dufris)7.Crown of Vengeance (read by Kate RuddChristopher Lane)8.Blade of Empire (read by Kate RuddChristopher Lane) Audio-DVD format: It can be used on DVD and DVD-Rom players, also on devices such as Playstation, Xbox or portable DVD players. In addition, the tracks can be taken to any mp3 player, such as portable mp3 player, tablets, smartphones, etc. through the computer. - The tracks are handled in the same way that you would handle the songs through iTunes. - The number of discs varies by each title, although generally it goes in a single disc. - The AudioDVD format is not the same as traditional CDs and does not work on CD players. Please be sure to use one of the players mentioned above. - The format of the tracks is MP3; This is the extension of better handling and of more quality. - Kbps vary by title. - Audiobooks are read by professional narrators. MP3-CD format: This audio CD-MP3 works on your computer. It also works on CD and DVD players with mp3 capacity, including car stereos. - The number of discs varies by each title. Each disc can contain one or several audiobooks. - The mp3 tracks can be taken to different mp3 players or smartphones and iphone or ipad. Make sure your device is compatible with this technology before making your purchase. - The format of the tracks is MP3; This is the extension of better handling and of more quality. - Kbps vary by title. - Audiobooks are read by professional narrators. SHIPPING: All audiobooks are sent through USPS First Class and will arrive at your hands between 7 and 10 days after your purchase (usually much sooner than later). A link will be sent so you can track your product online. We ship worldwide through USPS. RETURNS: If the product presents any problem, we will send you another one immediately! Any disagreement will always be resolved. You will also have the PayPal purchase protection against any problem that occurs with your purchase. Original case is not included with your purchase. Pictures Of Disc covers/cases in this listing are for illustrative purposes only.
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