I have been reading since the age of 4, and writing since 6. My first story was a Halloween murder mystery. In 6th grade, while everyone else was reading Judy Blume, I was reading "The Red Badge of Courage" by Stephen Crane(I also read Judy Blume, of course!). I started reading romance novels in high school, because of my best friend. Then we both started writing our own.
On December 31, 1999, I finished the first draft of my first novel and immediately lost it. Ten years later, I finished the first draft of my first novel for the second time--same title, same general area of expertise, only better. I'm working on the fourth draft now, hoping to cut another 10, 000 words, and I don't know how to do it. But life experience was needed to flesh it out.
In addition to romance, I enjoy reading non-fiction, or biographies of bands, and history of the theatre. But I think I enjoy romance most of all, because that is what I most lack in my life. But I'm working on it!