Born at the bottom of the atmosphere, Dara Fogel has done a lot of strange things in her life, including all types of work in theater, calligrapher, graphic artist, PMT cameraperson, wedding officiant and event planner, before settling on writing and teaching. She holds a ph.d. in philosophy from the University of Oklahoma (2006), specializing in ethics, social-political philosophy and philosophy of the self. Her primary interest is in the experience and development of consciousness. This overarching interest is evident in all her writing, both fiction and non-fiction. (Dara's non-fiction can be read at her website.) Amongst other things, she has served as queen of one medieval fair and founding director of a renaissance fair; directed 3 Shakespeare plays outdoors, won multiple "Best of Show" awards for her extravagant costumes at science fiction conventions and renfairs, and meditated in Stonehenge at sunset.