When you ask Dick Claassen how long he has been writing, he will say, "All my life." Dick began putting his ideas to paper as a young child, but it wasn't until 1975 that he finally had his first major piece published. The feature magazine article written for The Iowan titled, Build Your Own Dulcimer, launched his free-lance career. In 1975 Dick wrote another feature story for The Iowan titled, World's Biggest Little Carnival. In 1977 he wrote, How to Use the Pocket Calculator In the Darkroom for Petersen's Photographic, a national photography magazine, The Calculator Book, an instruction book published by Houghton/Mifflin in 1976, Mathematics for Consumer Survival, a high school math text published in 1981 by Houghton/Mifflin, Unit Conversions, an educational software package published in 1988 by AWA Software, as well as a second software package in 1989 for AWA Software titled, Story Problems.

It was only a few short years ago that Dick began to break away from factual writing in order to write novels. Dick wanted to accomplish two things in his novel writing. First, he wanted to write about aliens, and he wanted to write about them in a realistic way. Dick drew inspiration from authors like Whitley Strieber and Dr. John E. Mack, both men giants in the field of research in alien abduction. Second, Dick, who has been physically disabled with polio since five-years old, wanted his heroes to be very ABLE physically disabled heroes. Dick collaborated with his coauthor, Diane Drury, whose editorial experience helped craft his story ideas. One year later, ta'Sara's Gift was ready for publication. They have since gone on to write two more novels, Zeta's Child, and The Healers, which round out The Dark Ships Trilogy.

Dick has gone on to write four novelettes: Shadow of Love, Night Beasts, LoveSigns, and The Raphael Experience. Dick has also written a HyperStudio sign language instruction package titled, Serious Signing. He plans to release his 6th novel, Lancelot With a 'Z' September the 4th of 2004.

Dick recently retired as a math and chemistry community college instructor. He has been a part-time interpreter for the deaf, and he plays a very mean banjo. Dick is currently writing a banjo instruction ebook that will be available sometime in 2004.

Dick has studied writing at the University of Iowa Writer's Workshop. He is divorced and has one child, Gretchen, who is currently studying for her Master's degree in performing cello.

Kathryn D. Struck has a Bachelors Degree in Theatre and a Masters Degree in Twentieth Century English and American Writing and Literature. She has been a teacher of high school speech, drama and English for twenty-four years. She is the Technical Director of Theatre at her high school, and is in charge of designing all scenery costumes, sound, make-up, and lighting for the school's successful dramatics program. Before she went into teaching, she worked as a professional actress for The Old Creamery Theatre Company, a regional theatre company. Her work with scripts gave her an ear for dialogue, and a sense of pace. "When I was on stage, I was the pace-setter," she said. "I was the actress that could keep the scene moving. That drive is absolutely essential in fiction writing." In addition to teaching and 'teching' shows, she also acts as the school 'Scribe', writing documents to communicate her school's educational philosophy and unique programs to parents, students, and the community. She gives educational presentations to professionals each year as well.

Coming on-board in 1995, Kathryn coauthored with Dick Claassen The Dark Ships Trilogy under the name, Diane Drury. She had been wanting to try her hand at fiction writing beyond poetry and short pieces. Initially she acted as the series editor, but soon became a co-pilot. "Dick has the stories; he's a wonderful story-teller. I have the red pen," she admits. Nonetheless, through her association with Dick, she has started several projects of her own: a novel on psychometry, and a collection of pieces by and about wives of Vietnam veterans. Kathryn has free-lanced for W.C. Brown Publishers and studied writing at the University of Iowa. She has recently been published in Little Read Writers' Hood, an on-line magazine.

Kathryn is married and the mother of two teenage boys. In her spare time she writes novels, poetry, and short-stories, and handles free-lance editing projects.