How British sci-fi influenced my writing…

[Note from Steve: I wrote this a while ago as a guest post for Shah Wharton’s WordsInSync website. It seemed appropriate to dust it off and repost it here with a few edits that make it more contemporary.]

Many writers are avid readers, at least in their own genre. In fact, I can’t understand how anyone can be a writer without being an avid reader. I suppose there are exceptions. I am also a reviewer, but I read many more books than I review. Some of my reading is information-oriented; most is...