Ryk E. Spoor, while earning his masters degree in Pittsburgh, became a playtesting consultant and writer for the Wizards of the Coast, the leading publisher of role-playing games and related novels. He now lives in East Greenbush, NY, working as a technical proposal writer for a high-tech R&D firm, and spending his non-writer time with his wife and sons. Spoor is the coauthor with New York Times best seller Eric Flint, of the popular Threshold series of science fiction novels. Spoor's solo novels for Baen include Paradigms Lost, Grand Central Arena series entries Grand Central Arena and Spheres of Influence. He is also the author of epic fantasy Phoenix Rising.