12-year-old me started writing the very first draft of my Solus series. At the time, I called it Wolftracks and drew inspiration from Tara. K. Harper’s Wolfwalker series. I even wrote to her, asking permission to use her characters. She politely told me “no” and advised me to create my own. I’m glad she did.
My childhood was split between Western Montana and Portland, OR, but the majesty and mystery of the Pacific Northwest’s forests fueled my imagination for life. Spending most of my adulthood in Los Angeles made me appreciate urban wildlife, including people.
Like all writers, I love to read and enjoy fantasy and magical realism, and anything from another genre that incorporates elements of fantasy. I also read plenty of non-fiction. And there is always at least one Discworld novel with me at all times.
Fantasy doesn’t have to be fantastic. American writers in particular find this much harder to grasp. You need to have your feet on the ground as much as your head in the clouds. The cute dragon that sits on your shoulder also craps all down your back, but this makes it more interesting because it gives it an added dimension.
~Sir Terry Pratchett
