When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
I travel. Ever since I was a kid, I've had a desire to know what lies around the corner. When I drive past a gravel road that stretches off onto the prairie, or disappears into a grove of trees, I feel a tug to follow it and see where it leads. For me, travel satisfies this urge. I love that feeling of excitement that I get when I step off a plane. Who knows what lies ahead?
Who are your favorite authors?
When I was young, J.R.R Tolkien, H.P. Lovecraft, and Robert E. Howard were my literary heroes - I consumed every verb and noun that they produced. (I feel sorry for people who only know Tolkien from the movies - as good as they are.) When I began working on my own fiction, Karl Edward Wagner had a huge influence on the development of my style. I still return to his short stories for little shots of inspiration. As an adult, I regard Hemingway and Conrad as masters of the craft.
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