Like many authors, I've been fascinated with the craft since I could hold a pencil and begin to spell. Stories are how we explore ourselves, our world, our limits, and anything else we could imagine. They're also a fine way to engage with other people. If I can make you laugh or gasp or speed up your pulse, that's a powerful thing.
I was formed by 'classic' science fiction and fantasy: Dune, Ursula K. LeGuin, Robin McKinley, The Lord of the Rings, et al. I read voraciously (as we all must, at some point or another). There is always more to learn from other authors, and besides, I enjoy the hobby. More than anything, the characters in a story sweep me up into a novel, from the most darling heroes to the most tormented villains. I believe in complexity of feeling, redemption of choice, and narrative consequence and reward. Perhaps because of that, I believe most of all in a romance that lays a foundation, even if it is founded in the darkest part of a character. Wouldn't we want someone to love the worst in us?