Synopsis: From the back cover of the first edition: "Adventure without limits! For the last twenty years, shared world book lines have launched or furthered the careers of some of the most recognizable names in fantasy and science fiction, introducing these talented writers to millions of readers around the world. But telling tales set in a franchise means an author must often play by someone else's rules. What types of stories are allowed, how an epic impacts a setting, even whether a beloved character lives or dies - in a shared world, the author does not get the final word on any of these decisions. But what happens when those same writers break out and create stories in settings entirely under their control? In Worlds of Their Own, bestselling author and award-winning editor James Lowder brings together some of the heaviest hitters in fantasy and science fiction - from New York Times bestsellers R. A. Salvatore, Michael A. Stackpole, and Elaine Cunningham to master world-builders Gary Gygax and Ed Greenwood - and turns them loose, collecting stories that showcase what these remarkably inventive minds can create when they're given free reign over every word on every page..."