I grew up in the Washington DC area, but after serving six years in the United States Air Force, I lived in Los Angeles and Atlanta while working in the areospace industry. When I was younger, I loved to paint.  I studied in oils, water colors and chalks, but in 2000 a young man was mistakenly shot by the authorities and that act was so hurtful that I started writing how I felt about it and found writing to be a wonderful form of expression.  The story turned out to be my first published book, Final Passage.  Dark Karma and the Wishing Well came later, but they too were based on social events that can affect any one of us, but with a scifi twist.   I like Stephen King's imagination and the intense style of Dean Koontz but my greatest influence is life.  It seems that life offers so many challenges until you don't have to look far to find someone that has gone through the same kind of drama that you have and can relate to exactly what you are feeling.  All of us can identify with the victim at some point in our lives, because we've all been there. I moved back to the DC area and I plan to continue writing for as long as I can.    Joyce Veranda Gray