Mark O'Bannon, is an American novelist and game designer best known as the author of the fantasy series, "Shadows and Dreams." O'Bannon has studiedwritingand marketing techniques extensively, and has read over 200 books on the subjects.O'Bannon has been conducting workshops, seminars and panels for authors onwritingand marketing since 2007. After running a panel at Comic-Con International in 2008 ("How to Tell a Story" and "Humor in Science Fiction"), O'Bannon was having dinner with friends William F. Nolan, Marc Scott Zicree, David Gerrold and George Clayton Johnson.While talking with George