I was born with the Gift, the ability to explore the World of Shadow, a reality discovered in China long ago. When I was four, I watched my mother go sobbing out the door. Pushed in and out of ten foster homes turned me into a self-centered, over-sexed, murderous brat. I easily conned my way into UC Berkeley.

I've had such colorful emails of shock and outrage from readers. One woman even accused me of being uncouth. I got plenty of couth, lady. You are all fine people I'm sure, wonderfully sensitive and refined. I so regret exposing you to reality.

And a few of my readers were very unhappy with the tiny changes I made to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Jacqui and the Beanstock, and Cinderella. Something about befouling and besmirching the memories of their childhood.

If you make it to the third book, you're as weird as I am. We'd get along just fine.