Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in Toronto. I would say in grade two I learned to read by myself, and I did not have the problems that I saw others kid when reading. Some kids were challenged by reading. They put rulers down under the line to read. I was reading Mr. Mugs. I loved to read. When I was in high school/grade 9, I would go to a library near the school and I would read all the science fiction short stories books that I could check out of that library. Science Fiction Nebula short stories. All kind of beautiful science fiction short stories that only I can seem to remember now and that only exist up inside the attic of my memories. They were so amazing. I did not grow up dreaming that I would want to be a writer, but I think the adage 'readers are leaders' can be true to help you to write and express what is in your heart and soul and what you are burning to share with others.
When did you first start writing?
I started making a diary every time I went to Florida with my parents. I should say journal, not diary. We would go to Florida (Daytona Beach) every year and I would be the family documenter of what we did and where we went in those journals. I put my feelings and emotions in those journals. I swore in those journals. I saw that the journals could be powerful emotional outlets because I could release the storms inside my soul inside those journals and in some way release the inner pressure that my emotions were bringing to bear on myself from consuming me. My parents never read those journals and so they became a private safe for me to hide away the secret writings that were for my eyes only.
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