Samphire, Patrick: - Patrick Samphire started writing when he was fourteen years old and thought it would be a good way of getting out of English lessons. It didn't work, but he kept on writing anyway. He has lived in Zambia, Guyana, Austria and England. He now lives with his wife and two children in Wales, U.K. He has published almost twenty fantasy short stories and novellas, two novels for children, SECRETS OF THE DRAGON TOMB and THE EMPEROR OF MARS, and the Mennik Thorn series for adults, which starts with SHADOW OF A DEAD GOD.