My dear friend and artistic collaborator on this, my greatest dream of all.

His name is Lorenz Hideyoshi Ruwwe -- a freelance concept artist and illustrator working for clients from the entertainment business including filmmakers, authors, game developers and private individuals.

Born on January 4th in Frankfurt / Germany to a German father and a Japanese mother, Lorenz's artistic skills were honed and based on thorough self-learning and practical routine over the years.

There are no words, written nor spoken, that could ever fully or truly convey what he has done for me and my passion project, so I will simply say this:  "Life is a storm my young friend...  You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next.  What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes."  One can find truth, inspiration and heart, a strength without fail nor falter no matter where one may look within literature.  No matter the genre.  No matter the tale.  One may even find passion and love, not only for those genres, but for the stories and tales told within every word, upon every page.  But sometimes in our lives we may find it difficult to be inspired in a way that can truly and honestly affect us down to our very soul...  We each have to find our own way in the end -- our own path.  But if you're lucky, truly lucky, you might find that your path has crossed with another soul who simply took a whisper out of their life, to change yours forever.

My path crossed with Lorenz Hideyoshi Ruwwe on Saturday, October 29th, 2005.  And since that day -- he has taken only a whisper out of his life...  to change mine forever. 

His gift, his talent, his skill...  Lorenz's work defies description and no amount of praise or tribute could ever do him justice in the way he so rightly deserves.  Nothing is ever a simple brush stroke of color and dreams, because he doesn't simply create an image -- he brings it to life -- with a beating heart and a blinding soul.

This project -- "The Lost Landers" -- from the characters within to an alien world 300 billion light years from Earth was born of my greatest dream of all...  and Lorenz brought that dream to life.

I am honored to call him: collaborator...  but I am truly blessed to call him: friend.

www.hideyoshi-ruwwe.net