As a child, I lived in different countries. I studied at an international school and had friends from all over the world.  These experiences shaped the fantasy world of Miriax I created in "Shelby and Shauna Kitt and the Dimensional Holes." I have a Ph.D. in English and teach British literature to undergraduates. Growing up, I learned different languages and read books in Portuguese, English, French, and German. My favorite novel as a child was Michael Ende's "The Neverending Story." I also liked C.S. Lewis Narnia series. In terms of sci-fi, the biggest influences on me were probably the writings of Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, and Douglas Adams.