I don't remember the very first, but I do remember the first one that had the most impact. It was called Broken Promise - I don't remember the author's name. The story was about a group of five siblings whose parents abandon them at a diner. The oldest does her best to keep her family together despite them being separated into different foster homes and such. It was the first book I ever read that brought me to tears. I have since wanted to write stories that moved readers on an emotional level.

Pleasure reading for me involves exploration of several genres. I used to read strictly horror - Stephen King being my favorite author, but since I decided to take my writing career seriously, I read a wider variety. Mysteries, non-traditional Chick Lit, and humor all find their way onto my e-reader.

What works best for me is face-to-face interaction with potential readers. There's something in the passion with which I talk about my writing and its purpose that seems to move people to purchase a book or two. I make sure to have books on me at all times, so as I find myself engaged with someone, as soon as they show interest, I'm able to sell them a book on the spot. A new trick I'm rolling out this year is to have business cards with a discount code on them so I can sell digital copies face-to-face as well. They pay me right then, and get the code for purchase so they can download their copy at their leisure. This way, I don't lose a sale to forgetfulness or distraction.

I first start writing what I'd consider "real" stories when I was nine or ten. My first memorable piece was a science fiction story called Zeroid - all about a girl who gets recruited to help save the inhabitants of a living planet that was under attack by invaders. While attending a performing arts summer camp, I turned it into a play that me and my fellow camp-goers performed for our parents. We received a standing ovation and I've been writing ever since.