My favorite authors are those who can create a complex universe of interconnected characters and stories. Although it may not make me sound very "literary," Stephen King actually tops the list. His Dark Tower series sort of fell apart at the end, in my humble opinion, but the way that he was able to connect many of his disparate works with a central thread really inspired me. I am also a tremendous admirer of Patrick O'Brian and the way in which he used dialogue. In science fiction, in addition to the great classics, I also enjoy Kevin J. Anderson (yes, even Saga of the Seven Suns and some of the Dune novels) and Timothy Zahn. The erotica genre is really too diverse to list a favorite, but I tend to stay away from authors who feel the need to impose euphemisms and contrived melodrama over the good parts. We've come a long way since Harlequin.

That's interesting. I don't. The story that had the most impact on me as a child wasn't actually written word; it was Star Wars. I remember being about about five or six and going to the drive-in to see some random family nonsense, but I was glued to Star Wars (without sound) on another screen. It was years before we got a VCR and I realized that Star Wars had been the movie that I saw, but I believe that my sci-fi bug was born that night.

I think I was in fourth or fifth grade, and so it was definitely not in my current genre. Actually, it was a blatant ripoff of The Transformers. By sixth grade, I was writing more or less original sci-fi stories.

I'm a graduate student, and so whether it's for work or pleasure, I don't remember the last time that I wasn't writing.

I don't really have one. Fiction writing usually happens when I want to put off the academic stuff for an afternoon, and I sometimes outline longer stories when they aren't being cooperative. Other times, I just sit down and go. It sounds corny, but I really do have to wait for some characters to tell me what's going on in their worlds. Once they get started, however, it's usually a while before they shut up again.

I actually have a good deal of training in graphic design, and I'm fairly meticulous about it. I designed the Dark Run series covers to resemble pulp sci-fi novels, but in my other books, I follow the "less is more" rule and go for something clean and classic that will grab people when they scroll past it.

Necessity. Honestly, if my "real" job were worth getting up for, then I probably wouldn't be on Smashwords to begin with.

I actually use my local library. They don't have a high budget for piles of ebook licenses, and so the available books are often from obscure writers. I have discovered some amazing hidden diamonds, and also a few lumps of coal, but the great thing about library ebooks is that you can just delete them and download another if the first few pages don't grab you.

I guess I'm not ready to quit my day job yet. Or quit working on the PhD that may eventually be finished and possibly get me a day job. I haven't ruled out someday trying to go the agent and print publisher route, but for now, I like being able to write what I want and when I want to write it.

It's huge. It has it's own room, even. In fact, an entire family could eat off of it. We never do, of course, because it's being used as desk. And a storage locker. Someday, we will have our poor dining room table back to its intended purpose.