I'm an English teacher and librarian, so I read constantly. I have several favourites.
Diana Gabaldon, for her rich and believable characters who become so much a part of the family that they're routinely included in dinner table discussions. These books are constantly being re-read at my house.
J. K. Rowling for the wealth of her imagination, and the depth of her perceptions. A children's story is not just a children's story when the best story tellers are weaving narrative magic. This is seen in A Casual Vacancy which is a dark tale, but brilliantly crafted.
Stephenie Meyer for the inspiration that if she could do it, so could I!
Margaret Laurence, whose Manawaka stories are so insightful.
Hugh Sinclair, whose works hurt with their painful realism.
Neil Gaiman, whose wicked sense of dark humour releases truths and beauty.

At the library, usually, though also on Goodreads.com

I have some juvenalia, but not the firsts, I'm afraid. I won my first poetry contest in grade 4, and got my first rejection letter from a publisher in grade 5.

Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. (There are 8 so far, and I refer to them all).First, because of the realism of the characters: each is crafted so well, they breathe on the page. Gabaldon's descriptions are sensory delights. You are immersed in the experiences her characters face: smelling the manure or the lavender perfume, stinging from blows, treating wounded amid battles, and the like. Her plots are convoluted. She doesn't sculpt her books according to 'the rules' and as such, there's an organic sense to them. They're like life: messy, confusing, circular, and unexpected.

Usually this happens at night on holidays, when everyone else is sleeping.
Sit at the computer.
Type.
Check email
Type.
Check Twitter
Comment on something Diana Gabaldon wrote on Twitter
Type
Check Facebook
Type
When my eyes keep closing and I find myself typing gibberish while I slept
Go to bed
(Usually this is 3 or 4 a.m.)

Author Gail Anderson-Dargatz once told me, "we sell our books hand to hand" and that's the truth. It's people you meet, either in person or through social media, with whom you create real relationships, who are most likely to buy your books. It's been true for me.

I grew up in Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, lush with lake, orchards, pine trees, and tourists. I spent grades 2 to 7 in Calgary, with its unpredictable weather and friendly people. I have a Western Canadian perspective, and weather shows up a lot in my books, almost like an annoying relative who sometimes brings great presents, but frequently plays practical jokes.

My desk is a beautiful slender thing: wenge stain, brushed nickel handles. It's piled so high with papers and books that I can't set my 8" computer on it. As a result, I type on the couch in front of the desk, with the computer (and/or ergonomic keyboard) on a lap desk. (I'm kind of embarrassed about that. Don't tell anyone, okay?) :-S

I know for certain I was writing in grade three, because I shared my stories in Show and Tell that year. I have illustrated stories from later elementary. I bought my husband's wedding ring with a prize from a short story contest in college. I wrote my first novel while I was at university doing my teacher training.

I really liked my Sony 600 that lasted about 3 years. I replaced with a Kobo that managed about a month before dying. At the moment, I'm reading on my computer, which isn't nearly as portable!