ParaNormalRomance.org

Mercedes Lackey

Mercedes Lackey (born June 24, 1950) (also known as Misty Lackey) is a prolific American author of fantasy novels for adults. Many of her novels and trilogies are interlinked and set in the world of Velgarth, mostly in and around the country of Valdemar. Some disparage her books as being about 'talking horses', but she specialises in depicting a wide range of cultures and environments. Her Valdemar novels form a complex tapestry of interaction between human and non-human protagonists, with many different cultures and social mores. There is a prominent theme of tolerance throughout, notably in the relative prominence of homosexual characters and the ethos of Valdemar: "There is no one, true way".

The other main world in which she writes is one very much like our own, but populated by elves, mages, vampires, and all manner of other mythical beings. Some of the interlocking series in this world are the Diana Tregarde thrillers, the "SERRAted Edge" books about racecar-driving elves, and the "Bedlam's Bard" books, characterizing a young man with the power to work incredible magics through music. Whilst the SERRAted Edge and Bedlam's Bard series are still in progress, she has declined to write further Diana Tregarde stories because of harassment from a small but determined number of fans. Lackey claims the trouble escalated to the point where she and her husband received death threats and were forced to suspend their fandom activities.

There is a Mercedes Lackey fan group on Usenet and many people would like to 'play' in her worlds, but as she keeps a tight hold on her copyrights, no published fanfiction is allowed outside of her authorized fanclub, the Queen's Own, so named after Herald Talia's position in her books.

Her earlier novels are all solo projects, but later volumes in the Valdemar saga are illustrated by her husband Larry Dixon, and in many of her latest works he is also credited as co-author.

She is a protegee of Marion Zimmer Bradley, and got her start writing short stories in Bradley's story collections.

She and Larry Dixon also work in wildlife rehabilitation, especially with birds of prey. She often refers to her various parrots as her "feathered children".

http://www.mercedeslackey.com/