Lesley S. King (New Mexico coverage, plus chapters 2, 3, 5, and appendix) grew up on a ranch in northern New Mexico, where she still returns on weekends to help work cattle. A freelance writer and photographer, she’s a contributor to New Mexico Magazine and an avid kayaker and skier. She has written for the New York Times, United Airlines’ Hemispheres magazine, American Cowboy, and Audubon. She is writer and host of Written on the Wind, a television documentary series. She is also the author of Frommer’s Santa Fe, Taos & Albuquerque and Frommer’s New Mexico.

Karl Samson (Arizona coverage) finds that the sunny winter skies of the Arizona desert are the perfect antidote to the dreary winters of his Pacific Northwest home. Each winter, he flees the rain to explore Arizona’s deserts, mountains, cities, and small towns. It is the state’s unique regional style, Native American cultures, abundance of contemporary art, and, of course, boundless landscapes that keep him fascinated by Arizona. Summer finds him researching his other books, including Frommer’s Washington, Frommer’s Oregon, and Frommer’s Seattle & Portland.

Residents of northern New Mexico for more than 30 years, Don and Barbara Laine (Colorado and Utah coverage) have traveled extensively throughout the Rocky Mountains and the Southwest. They are the authors of Frommer’s Colorado, Frommer’s Utah, Frommer’s Rocky Mountain National Park, and Frommer’s Zion & Bryce Canyon National Parks; are the lead authors of Frommer’s National Parks of the American West; and have contributed to Frommer’s Texas and Frommer’s USA. The Laines have also written Little-Known Southwest and New Mexico & Arizona State Parks (both for The Mountaineers Books).

Mary Herczog (Las Vegas coverage) lives in Los Angeles and works in the film industry. She is the author of Frommer’s New Orleans and Las Vegas For Dummies, and has contributed to Frommer’s Los Angeles. She still isn’t sure when to hit and when to hold when playing blackjack.