Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
Dick and Jane books come to mind...but seriously, the only impact they had on me was that I was finally READING!!
One of the first books that impacted me though was "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott. It was during the reading of that book when I decided I wanted to be a writer, just like Jo.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I don't believe WHERE I lived had as much to do with influencing my writing as WHO I lived with. My mother was (and still is) an avid reader, and whenever she wasn't busy with the kids, cooking or cleaning, her face was buried in a book. I remember reading a lot of her books, even the ones she had hidden in her room! And you know what they say about being a decent writer: you should also be a reader.
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