Why Read When You Write?

Reading is important for all ages and walks of life — it expands our horizons and keeps us connected to story and language. Reading has shaped my writing life in many ways. Some books have been so poorly written that I’ve wondered how on earth they made it onto the shelves — and from those, I learned how not to write. Others have brilliant storylines but the writing is only so‑so, yet we forgive it because the story pulls us along. And then there are the books that do both: beautiful writing and a compelling, engaging story.

That’s what I aspire to create.

Reading across different audiences and genres has also shaped the way I tell stories. Some authors choose one genre and stay with it for their entire career; others wander and experiment. I think we can all write in any genre, but it’s the one we love — the one that feels like home — that makes our work shine.