Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in Savannah, Tennessee. It is approximately 100 miles east of Memphis, Tennessee. When I was a child, it was a small town and didn't have much to do, so I read lots of books and wrote poems to occupy my time. My mother was a huge fan of Harlequin romances and that was a huge influence on me as well. I watched a lot of television shows, movies, and listened to music and as a result, I fell in love with the arts and the idea of being an entertainer some day.
When did you first start writing?
I wrote my first piece as a child around the age of seven. It was about Santa Claus, and was actually my very first piece ever published! It was published in the local newspaper. It was exciting to have my little story in the paper!
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