When I was in my final year of highschool, I wrote a science-fiction/comedy. It was influenced by my favourite stories at the time - Star Wars, Doctor Who, Blake's 7, Asimov and many others. It took me a year to write and filled 210 hand-typed pages. I only ever let my best friend read it. She was quite miffed that I killed off her favourite character. I only recently found out that my brother had read it too. I really should try to find it, but that means braving the shed.

I have notebooks all over the house and in my bag. When I get an idea, I try to write down as much as I can. These notes get filed into a box for future reference. I waver between handwriting the manuscript in one of my notebooks or typing it into Scrivener. For shorter stories (under 24,000 words) I write the entire first draft before I review it. With a book length manuscript, I write a chapter or two, then review. My first draft is a 'splurge' or freewriting exercise - everything goes down on the page. If I am unsure about a word or fact, I put down all my options, so not to lose the flow of the words. However, sometimes the perfectionist in me will insist that I have to do that research before I continue. I have a few trusty beta readers who helps me with obvious errors, repeats or very loose ends. I belong to a writers' group (which includes published authors and editors) who help me with rewrites and suggestions.

Only five?
Blue Moon Rising by Simon R Green- It is a rollicking fun fantasy with fun characters and is such a gloriously easy read.
Lord of the Rings - Tolkien's detailed descriptions create complete pictures in my imagination - complete with an entire music score. It has a element of hope throughout.
Soulless series by Gail Carriger- I love the way she turns a phrase and the dichotomy of Victorian manners meets the inconvenient supernatural world, with just a hint of steampunk.
Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham - A very interesting exploration on the nature of man in the face of change and uncertainty, and how fragile we can be when one of our senses is robbed from us.
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams - unpredictable fun with some really great quotes. Always cheers me up and brings back memories of a much less complicated time.

In school, I devoured Agatha Christie and Lord of the Rings then moved onto many of the Star Wars extended Universe novels and Doctor Who link in novels. I just could not choose between detective, fantasy or science fiction. I could not resist the urge to create my own worlds and characters...
I really, really should try to find that first manuscript, in the shed.

I love speculative fiction - steampunk, science fiction, fantasy and detective stories (set in the early 20th century mostly). I also read a lot of non-fiction. I have a bookshelf dedicated to sixteenth century Florence and the Medicis - the art, costume and life of the times. I also read a lot of gardening books and have a subscription to Gardening Australia.

Organised chaos. I know where everything is. I get grumpy when someone moves things.

I love creating things.
I draw. I photograph. I sew. I embroider. I write. It has been pointed out - many times - that when I am not creating something, I get grumpy. I am lost. I have so many characters and pictures - all beating on the inside of my head - all wanting to escape into the world. Some words can have the most amazing sound. They can produce an emotion or a paint a mental picture. The same sentence can evoke so many differing meanings for individual people. Words have such a myriad of ways they can be strung together. They can spark new ideas and discussions. They can bring hope. They can be fun.