When people ask me that, my answer is always the same: writing is not only what I do—on a deeper level, it’s really what I am. Writing is not just how I make my living—it’s how I live my life.

My love affair with writing started in my childhood. Books carried me into worlds I never knew existed, and, once I learned how to write, my imagination kept me there. With paper and pen, I could bring people to life who never before existed. With 26 letters, I could create a universe of my own.

As an adult, writing is my way of making a connection with the rest of the world. Fiction, non-fiction, essays and books—they are all the tools with which I shape the land and make my home.