Former Introduction Thread Showing 3,151-3,200 of 6,846

[Mike]

Hello!

My name is Mike Gullickson. I'm a science fiction and fantasy author and (obviously) a huge sci fi fan. Goodreads is awesome. I feel incredibly ignorant for not knowing about this site until a few weeks ago. Shame on me.

Big fan of the staples of our genre: Orson Scott Card, Larry Niven (one of my absolute favorites), Joe Haldeman and a bunch of others.

As far as author motivation though, I have to give it to Stephen King. He's fantasy/horror, but man he shaped my childhood.

I'm excited to be a part of the group!

-Mike Gullickson

[Penny]

Genia wrote: "I've been around for a long time. I even led the discussion on Blackout a few months ago."
Oh right, my bad! I've only been on goodreads for a few months and haven't gotten to know all the active members in this group yet. How obnoxious am I to be welcoming members who've been here so much longer than me :P

Mike - welcome! You're in good company here.

[Jim]

Hello everyone, my names Jim, 34 living in Indiana. I've been reading for a long time, but I didn't really get big into the novel reading until after high school. I'm mainly a sci-fi guy but dip into fantasy every so often if the book looks good.

While I haven't read every post in this particular thread, but like a few of you I do write as a hobby but I have been thinking about writing a book and see how it flies. Although I really don't think of myself as an author, actually I refer to myself as a fanfic writers with delusions of semi-grandeur lol.

Not really sure how active I'll actually but I am happy to be here.

[Alan]

Jim wrote: "[ . .]I do write as a hobby but I have been thinking about writing a book and see how it flies..."
Hi Jim
Be warned! A friend and I went through this phase a while back (details here) and being successful requires several things - and a good story (and good writing style) are only the first! After that you need:-
A) Good reviews (which often means gathering your courage and sending lots of emails to people you don't know but think might be willing to review you)
B) Lots of time (and occasionally plain gall) to do a fair amount of self-publicity, and
C) A fair amount of plain old-fashioned luck!

And the greatest of these (so far as I can tell!) is luck!

Still, you never know - sometimes it works!

[Jim]

Alan wrote: "Jim wrote: "[ . .]I do write as a hobby but I have been thinking about writing a book and see how it flies..."
Hi Jim
Be warned! A friend and I went through this phase a while back (details here) ..."


Hi Alan
I'v done my homework, I realize I'm the one that has to do the majority of the work of getting it out there, outside of the actual writing. So I like to think I'm going into this with my eyes open so to speak.

But I do thank you for the warning and the luck (I'm going need all I can get). Nice to know there are people out there looking for the little guy.

[Richard]

To add to Alan's comments, Jim, I would only say, jump in and write! Your story will probably fly off your fingers and probably be one of the most therapeutic things you've ever done. Once the draft is finished, the finessing and honing you'll do will give you amazing satisfaction, and if the day comes you decide to share your work with the world, then you can light a slew of candles to the god of luck and begin your Facebook/blog/twitter life in earnest! Don't hesitate, though... endorphins are nice...

[Nathan]

Just joined this group after lamenting for some time that I never meet anyone who shares my interest in books. I'm a 40 year old happily married father of a beautiful four year old. I work for a large pharma company, but read almost constantly. This month, I finished the following books:
Red Country
The Forever War (Still can't believe I hadn't read it until now).
Robopocalypse.
Patient Zero
Hounded

I look forward to being an active participant in here.

[Craig]

hi all. im 42 live in southwest england. i work in IT have 2children and am married. i read mainly fantasy on kindle. prior to technolgy i read every single stephen king book up until i read.one of his and hated it (trying for my life to rember what it was called), an james herburt. i then stopped reading for a fair few years. i started listening to story books and found bernard cornwell writes fantastic historical fiction, driving around the country listening to the books made driving less of a chore. i then got myself a kindle and have found myself reading even more than i used.to. books i suggest are jake west keeper of the stones trilogy ( fantastic trilogy and ledt so the author could penn more, but spoke to the author said that sales were not that good so for now wont be writng any more, real shame). the awakened, nine keys of magic just a few i have found to be riveting reads. i have si many added to my to-read list i think my spare time is now taken up lol. not much else to say so lets call it a day. be safe all and have a good xmas

[Brae]

Craig wrote: "hi all. im 42 live in southwest england. i work in IT have 2children and am married. i read mainly fantasy on kindle. prior to technolgy i read every single stephen king book up until i read.one of..."

Hi Craig,
Nice to meet a fantasy reader. I'm the author of The Orb of Truth epic fantasy series. Hope to have you add it to your reading list...lol. I will have to check out James West. Blessings from America!
The Orb of Truth

[Steven]

Hello All,
My name is Steve Lobue and im a 24yr old reader/writer(sorta)/techie. I served 5 years in the US Navy, and currently work for Intel Inc. I had a late start at reading, as I learned at around age 5. But I havent stopped since.
Currently reading the Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson, with a starcraft book and another called the Steelmaster of Indwallin on standby for when I am done. I would list all the books I have read in the last couple months, but this post has a character limit, so I will suffice to say I read any fantasy I can get my hands on, and the occasional sci-fi. I love to read, and hope that this group/site will point me towards new books I dont know about!
See ya around!
By the way, swing by the new authors area or whatever its called, if you are interested in seeing my first attempts at writing.

[Alan]

Steven wrote: "Hello All,
My name is Steve Lobue and im a 24yr old reader/writer(sorta)/techie. ..."
Hi Steve. Sounds like you are in the right place! This conference has quite a few people like yourself who read prolifically, some who also write - or plan to: Some just for themselves, some with plans to publish, quite a few already self-published and some already with conventional publishers. I suggest you look back through some earlier posts - find out who looks interesting, and check their profiles and/or reviews - it will take a few hours to make a list of names, but it should be worth the effort. Have fun!

[Steven]

Alan wrote: "Steven wrote: "Hello All,
My name is Steve Lobue and im a 24yr old reader/writer(sorta)/techie. ..."
Hi Steve. Sounds like you are in the right place! This conference has quite a few people like ..."

Thank You, Alan!
It is indeed good to be among fellow book lovers.
I shall indeed look at past postings. I guess it couldnt hurt, though I am in no rush. I am only about a chapter and a half into my book, and for all I know its crap. But, I enjoy it, so its all good. I even got to make my MC sparta kick a goblin. Cant go wrong with that!
All in all, I am happy to be here, and a hearty Thank you to whomever created this lovely group!

[J. Michael]

A Blessed and Happy Holiday Season to All,
My name is J. Michael Robertson. I am a retired USAF officer and currently work as a consulting test engineer for the USMC. I am an avid sci-fi and fantasy reader. I write epic fantasy and have one book (Warrior of the Three Moons) published via AuthorHouse. The sequel (Sunspear) should be out in January 2013. My favorite Sci-fi authors are Catherine Asaro, C. J. Cherryh, and David Weber. Favorite Fantasy Authors are Robert Jordan, David Coe, and Terry Brooks. I am currently reading "Carnelians" by Catherine Asaro, "The Faded Sun" Trilogy by C.J.Cherryh, and "The Winter King" by Benard Cornwell.

[K.R.]

Hey there. I'm K. R. Cox, and thought I would introduce myself. I'm a fantasy/scifi fiction author and love hearing from my readers. I also like to talk about books, go figure, eh?

Some of my favourite stories have been:
-Ulysses by Bernard Evslin
-A Wizard of Earthsea by LeGuin
-Sword of Truth series book 1 & 2 by Goodkind
-The Mallorean and The Belgariad.

And though I'm hip to the digital age, I really like the smell of a 1950s hardcover.

I'd love to chat more, through here, or on Twitter.
You can find me at: http://twitter.com/OrrykDain
or through my website: http://www.krcoxbooks.com/

Happy Chatting!

[Chris]

Hello all you happy people. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

I'm Chris Mitchell, journeyman indie fantasy writer hailing from the state of Georgia (not the country). I'm new to this group (and Goodreads in general), so don't go too hard on me. I'm all too happy to share my opinions on writing in general with both writers and readers alike.

Be sure to check out my blog (http://chrismitchelltheauthor.blogspo...) for all of my semi-crazy shenanigans. Enjoy the reading!

[Brendan]

Hello,

I was a late comer to fantasy (high schoolish). My favorites are the standards, I'll admit I don't get terribly interesting. LOTR, GoT, never got into WoT, though, that's a little too tall an order. I write fantasy as well, but I'll save that for the appropriate folder.

People do fun facts right? Mine is that I almost always like the second installment of a trilogy (movie or book) best. Two Towers, Catching Fire, Empire Strikes back, you know. I'm not sure if that's normal, but I'm sure it probably not unusual or anything. I'm looking forward to chatting about fantasy and maybe finding some new things to read (though I don't have nearly as much time as I used to).

[Darci]

Hi,

I just joined goodreads and was pleased to find this group. I find that I tend to read more science fiction than fantasy lately, although that is always a situation in flux. My favorite authors include C.J. Cherryh, Lois McMaster Bujold, GRRM, and Jim Butcher. I am always on the lookout for new things to read, and have found google play to be a terrible/wonderful enabler of my book addiction.

The most recent genre book I completed was Libriomancer. I hadn't read anything by Hines before but found it quite entertaining.

As a full-time student, I find myself forced to starve and binge on my pleasure reading - fortunately, this is one of my breaks where I can fully indulge!

[Raivo]

Hi there,

My name is Raivo and I am originally from Estonia. At the moment I live and work in Darwin, Australia, though it won't probably last for too long anymore, as I'm just travelling around and exploring the world, both for myself and for my book and I have to say, it has been awesome..hehe

I am a big fan of fantasy and the world that Jordan created, which in my eyes stands even above LOTR. Though I haven't had a chance to read too many others because of lack of time and the wish not to carry all of them around when I travel (I like to keep the books I buy).

At the moment I am reading 'Eve - Templar One' - and yes, I play the game too..hehe
Fantasy books and spaceships, what more can one ask for =)

[Stephen]

Howdy,

I'm Stephen Thompson, born in 1976 in what I like to say is a short drive from the middle of nowhere in Northwestern PA. I've read scif most of my life, and I've been writing it for about fifteen years now. I joined Goodreads probably over a year ago, but I've never really done much on here except list the books I was reading. I'm not sure if you can call it a resolution or not, but I know I need to start interacting with readers more if I'm to sell my books. So I guess this is me dipping my toe into the Goodreads discussion. :D

[Kerry]

Welcome! Glad you have joined the discussions. What book have you written?

[Julia]

Hi All!

I've been on Goodreads and this forum for a long time in computer-time, but I haven't introduced myself. Until this fall, I always said I'm reader not a writer, but I took a writing workshop this fall and liked it. I haven't developed any stick-to-it-ive-ness or discipline around my writing, nor have I produced anything I am ready to let go of, so I do not consider myself a writer yet.

I live in Upstate New York and read just about everything, but particularly like science fiction and fantasy and its many sub-genres like urban fantasy, Charles de Lint, military science fiction Lois McMaster Bujold, alternative history Michael Chabon, time travelConnie Willis and all the disparate fiction of Octavia E. Butler.

And like many, many other readers who have not been in the age category for YA for decades, I read that too. (I used to say I read it because I teach secondary special ed and I want to be able to suggest books to my students, and that's true, but it's also that I like it.) I particularly like Chris Crutcher, Libba Bray, Brian Selznick, Jane Yolen, Nnedi Okorafor.

[Squirrel]

Hi!

I'm Squirrel and I'm new to Goodreads. I just finished my first semester as an engineering undergrad, and was rather disappointed that I didn't put aside as much time as I wanted to read science fiction and fantasy (I did read a lot of literary fiction for a class, which I enjoyed immensely, although my favorites had elements often found in science fiction and fantasy).

I'm currently working on getting through the staples of science fiction. Just finished Hyperion the other day, but unfortunately have yet to acquire all the other books in the quartet (failed to heed my friend's warning about the cliffhanger). I did find myself in desperate need of people to talk to about the book though, as always happens after I read a book, so I hunted down a book group for scifi/fantasy. I'm also interested in getting started on some of those long fantasy series, particularly Wheel of Time, Malazan, and Discworld.

[Kerry]

Welcome Julia and Squirrel!

It is nice to discuss books with people. Hope you enjoy the conversations here.

[Stephen]

Howdy,

I've self-published three short story anthology, and one minianthology. Can I promote them here or will I suffer the wrath? :D

[✿Claire✿]

Hi, I'm Claire. I'm a science student and I love reading most genres (except horror) but especially Sci-fi and fantasy and I thought this would be a good place to find new books to read!

[Luan]

Hi, I'm Luan and I really like fantasy books, so I'm proud of be here in this group.

[[deleted user]]

Hi, I'm Layla. And I love fantasy books! I'm new to sci-fi but really wanna read more books about that as well. So this group really seems like a great place.

[Giulia]

Hi Layla!

If you're new to scifi, let me recommend a great novel, Soul Searching, by Keith Caserta. It's an excellent introduction to scifi, because it really utilizes scifi for what it was intended - a story that can't be told in any other genre. It's a great novel with stronger, better-developed characters than you often see.

Here's an Amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/Soul-Searching-...

- Gi

[[deleted user]]

Giulia wrote: "Hi Layla!

If you're new to scifi, let me recommend a great novel, Soul Searching, by Keith Caserta. It's an excellent introduction to scifi, because it really utilizes scifi for what it was intend..."

Thanks so much, I'm gonna look into this book.

[Carole-Ann]

Mmmm...joined a couple of days ago 'cos I was missing my SFF fix (slightly) :)

I read lots (both pb's and e-books); have a very eclectic taste which I DO NOT expect peeps to even comprehend; and have over 50 years of 'reading experience' behind me :) (jus' sayin')

My profile explains my current predicament - where I smile continuously for days/weeks/months on end. And I only comment when I feel a REAL need - I lurk tremendously well!

[Peter]

@carole-ann: seems like a nice shop you have there.

[David]

The other John wrote: "I must be the geezer of this group. I was born in '63 in the Windy Suburbs of Chicago. My wife dragged me back to her ancestral lands, so I'm currently living in Seattle with her and our two kids. ..."

Geezer?! I was born in 1953. Now you really made me feel old. :)

[John]

David wrote: "The other John wrote: "I must be the geezer of this group. I was born in '63 in the Windy Suburbs of Chicago. My wife dragged me back to her ancestral lands, so I'm currently living in Seattle with..."

OK... David, just so you can feel younger again, I was born in 1945 (about a month after WWII ended).

... and P.S. for everybody else, I'm a Goodreads author, and I've been writing science fiction for close to three decades. Writing... but not publishing. Just published my first novel last November. Just joined Goodreads (and this group) a couple of weeks ago.

I grew up reading Robert Heinlein in the pages of Boy's Life (the official magazine of the Boy Scouts) back in the 1950s.

[Komal]

Wow, I was ignorant to the fact that Science-Fiction and Fantasy is quite popular among the older readers too. This makes me happy.

I'm a twenty year old medical student of Pakistani origins and with my recent acquaintance with ebooks (thanks to my Galaxy Note), I've discovered I have a thing for Fantasy and the Science-Fiction along with Realistic Fiction and (sometimes) Mystery/Thriller. I'm open to a wide array of genres.

Hoping to catch some good reads and have meaningful discussions with fellow readers of this much useful and friendly looking group.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Stopped getting updates...and haven't been by in a while. Sorry and welcome.

[David]

I was born in 1953 in Brooklyn, NY and after a short stint of 48 years in the borough of Queens (including Far Rockaway, which saw so much damage due to Hurricane Sandy along with the rest of the Rockaways), I find myself back in Brooklyn. I was a librarian trainee in a large public library system back in the 90's but never finished my MLS and was lucky to get another job in 2001 in the same system until 2011. I enjoyed being a librarian and wish I could still be, but alas...

I've enjoyed sci-fi and fantasy since my early teens. I was especially attracted to the Ballantine Adult Fantasy paperback series and was introduced to E.R. Eddison, Lord Dunsany, William Morris, H.P. Lovecraft and other older fantasy writers this way. I used to read more horror and related stuff when I was young but I don't focus on that kind of material too much anymore. I've always been more interested in fantasy than sci-fi (more the hard sci-fi variety), but like them both. I started reading Ringworld by Larry Niven years ago but got bogged down in his intricate description of the place and gave up after a few pages. I rarely stop reading a book and have to get back to it someday.

My taste in reading is varied but if there's a theme in it it would be fantasy, magical realism, spirituality, some mystery, what I loosely call "hidden truth and history" (and that includes history, science, archaelogy, medicine, law and so much more), travel memoirs about exotic destinations, astrology, etc. That said, I will read anything that I feel drawn to.

I have found some gems in the local Salvation Army Store, which, for some reason gets a lot better books than their other locations I've been too. I've always loved browsing in libraries and bookstores; and Goodreads and amazon.com are both great sources for new reading material, of course.

Some of the books I've read in the last year or so (not all fantasy/sci fi - sorry) are:

- The Terror by Dan Simmons (ok, so this is horror/historical fiction, but very well-done! Imagine a horror/suspense novel involving two icebound ships in an Arctic exploration in the mid-1800's and you have a hint of the eery atmosphere. The Terror is the name of one of the ships, by the way.
- Diving into the Wreck
City of Ruins by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
- Fields of Fire by James Webb (my morbid fascination with the Vietnam War - and I'm very glad I wasn't a participant)
- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
- Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn
- The Name of the Wind
The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
- Necrophenia by Robert Rankin (I love his crazy sense of humor)
- and a Bottle of Run: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails: by Wayne Curtis
-Dave Barry's Money Secrets: Like: Why Is There a Giant Eyeball on the Dollar? by Dave Barry (one of the few authors that makes me laugh out loud)
-1Q84 by Haruki Murakami (read all his books)
- The Vaults by Toby Ball
- The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (The Shadow of the Wind is a fantastic book!)
- Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
- Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States by Bill Bryson
- The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters by Gordon Dahlquist (a long and very disappointing book - I refused to give up though I was sorely tempted)
- The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack (Burton & Swinburne, #1)
The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man (Burton & Swinburne #2)
Expedition to the Mountains of the Moon (Burton & Swinburne #3) by Mark Hodder
- The 13½ Lives of Captain Bluebear (Zamonia #1)
Rumo & His Miraculous Adventures (Zamonia #2)
The City of Dreaming Books (Zamonia #3) by Walter Moers (one of the most unusual and inventive books I've ever read)
- The Limehouse Text (Barker & Llewelyn #3) by Will Thomas

Hmmm - maybe I need to get a job!

[Alan]

John wrote: "David wrote "The other John wrote [...]"

Hi Guys - John and David in particular.
Do we need a 'Golden Oldies' thread here? I have been around a while, but Komal's recent message made me take notice of something I should have been aware of already - I am not (quite) the oldest guy around (DoB October '49) and there seem to be quite a few of us.
Like John "I'm a Goodreads author, and I've been writing science fiction for close to three decades. Writing... but not publishing. Just published my first novel last November" except that I was a year earlier, October 2011 - though the sales figures look more like three months than a year's worth! Problem with publicity, I suppose, but I am in it for the glory, not the money. Links on my personal profile, click the image at the start of this message.

Good to know there are some other really old blokes out there, still following the sort of stories they (we!) grew up with.

And David - thanks for that list. Your reading ranges widely. I tend to stick to F/SF and police procedurals (English style - they probably wouldn't fit to well with Americans, unless they have travelled over here and understand warm beer and British Bobbies).

Keep reading, guys - it is one of the pleasures that can keep going into old age (I am sure it will happen to me some time, but I am fighting it off so far!)

[Sharon]

John wrote: "OK... David, just so you can feel younger again, I was born in 1945 (about a month after WWII ended). "

Well, I wasn't quite in school yet at that time, but almost. My fantasy addiction probably started with bedtime stories read by my mother ... who considered Greek and Roman mythologies better than Mother Goose. I still have a *thing* for winged horses.

My first ventures into sci-fi were via Jules Verne and H.G. Wells ... from there to Heinlein and Simak. At one time or another I've probably read some of almost every genre other than 'chick lit' ... and while I've outgrown some of them I have to admit I still have some of my favorites from those earlier periods in my reading history on my bookshelves and continue to re-read periodically. I'll even admit to period romances in the form of those by Georgette Heyer and westerns by Louis L'Amour.

[Carole-Ann]

@ Alan, David and John Do we need a 'Golden Oldies' thread here?

Nah!! We were just lucky enough to be the right age when SFF started taking off - I know I was miffed that the UK lagged behind and all the GOOD stuff was coming out of the US!! But fortunately I found a specialist shop which imported from the US so I managed to spend all my pocket money/wages on this magnificent stuff!

I'm proud (really) to say that I've been reading all this magic for over 50 years (starting in the 50's - I was an early starter!) - and there are some wonderful new writers coming along fantastically (Weeks, Brett, Rothfuss to name a few).

BTW, I may be the 'oldest' female on here, but I know I'm in good company!!

And thanks Peter for your nice comment!!

[Thomas]

Carole-Ann wrote: "@ Alan, David and John Do we need a 'Golden Oldies' thread here?

Nah!! We were just lucky enough to be the right age when SFF started taking off..."


Lucky indeed! It's been fascinating watching the genre evolve over the past forty plus years.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Hi David, I was born in '52 and read a lot of the same books you did. The Ballantine Adult Fantasy books got me into older fantasy books then there was also the Lancer Conan series...

Welcome.

[John]

Carole-Ann wrote:
Nah!! We were just lucky enough to be the right age when SFF started taking off - I know I was miffed that the UK lagged behind an..."

When I was in my late thirties (and still finishing up my college degree -- in night school) one of my professors asked me what I liked to read. We had just gotten to the end of a dreary lit course in which she had given us nothing but existentialist reading (Camus, Kafka, etc.) and I had told her in no uncertain terms that I HATED it. I told her I read SF, and she was shocked -- told me that was just "one step above comic books."

I gave her a copy of Anne McCaffery's The Ship Who Sang and asked her to read it. A week later she asked me if I had any more books like that I could recommend.

Then I answered her original question: I read SF because (unlike the existentialists), SF writers believe there will BE a future...

[Jo]

Hi, I'm 40 and live in Lismore, Australia. I'm starting Uni this year, doing a preparing for study course in semester 1, and then an Associate Degree in Creative Writing. I read Science Fiction and Fantasy mostly. I have been known to read other stuff too. My favourite author is Terry Pratchett, I've just finished reading his "I Shall Wear Midnight". I'm about to start reading Neil Gaiman's "Anansi Boys".

I'm also interested in Ancient History, especially Norse. Yes, I do write. No, I don't have anything published....yet.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Hi and welcome.

[Koos]

Hi all, I'm a 31 yr old Dutchman. I live in Utrecht, The Netherlands, with my girlfriend and two cats. Ever since college, where I found the LOTR-books in the library, I've been a fan of fantasy fiction. I also enjoyed George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire (just did a whole re-read of the series) and I've just started with the Wheel of Time.

I'm not a huge fantasy (let alone sci-fi) buff, but I hope to learn a bit here and there. Maybe pick up some good ideas on what to read next.

[Joel]

Hello,

My name is Joel. I have always enjoyed reading stories of a fantastical nature. Amongst my favorite stories I would have to list Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart," Keyes "Flowers for Algernon," Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder," and Kafka's The Metamorphosis." These are the stories I grew up reading and now I even get the chance to share a few of them with the teenage readers in my classroom during our "book talks." Very rewarding!

[Ginny]

Joel wrote: "Hello,

My name is Joel. I have always enjoyed reading stories of a fantastical nature. Amongst my favorite stories I would have to list Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart," Keyes "Flowers for Algernon,"..."

Hi Joel! Good to see you on here! Glad we're part of one of the same goodread groups!Feel like I haven't seen you in person for years! Good to catch up.

[Joel]

Hi Joel! Good to see you on here!

Hi Ginny - It's been a long while. I am excited to find a group that is so passionate about the type of literature I enjoy so much. Good to hear from you!

[Kurt]

Hi, my name is Kurt and I'm mostly a Science Fiction books fan but I'm incorporating more Fantasy in to my reading. I have read more Comic Books than anything else I've read. I'm slowly working my way to writing but work out the story in my head first before I put it on paper.

[Tasha]

I'm Tasha, 45, have a husband and a cat. I read The Hobbit and LOTR as a pre-teen but beyond that I did not read much fantasy or science fiction until I met my current husband. Favorite authors include Robert Jordan, David Weber, Mercedes Lackey, Lois McMaster Bujold. A fair amount of my current reading falls into Urban Fantasy as part of my learning to write.