Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
Yes. I wrote a wonderful little story on a teenage romance. I was 15 years old at the time. I remember writing everyday after school. Unfortunately, I lost the notebooks and never recovered those words. However, the experience revealed to me that deep down, I am a writer.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
The first story I ever read was Why Do Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears? by Verna Aardema, Leo Dillon and Diane Dillon. A beautiful, delightful and very popular children's book! I loved this book. I was fascinated not just with the creativity, but the imagination behind the story. I found that writing is much more than just story-telling. There has to be some element of a truth, whether real or fabricated. Regardless, the reader needs a truth to compel them to keep reading, to keep them engaged.
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