Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in a rather bizarre universe called the Soviet Union, where written words on any, however frivolous subject were taken exceedingly seriously, while the life on the individual who wrote them was remarkably expendable.
As a result, it is sometimes difficult to write just for fun, without stuffing it with something unnecessary meaningful. Like I did with this answer.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
The Three Little Pigs. It stressed the importance of building codes and suggested that a supposedly good guy still can indulge in animal cruelty with moral impunity. Lesson learned.
Read more of this interview.