I regard myself as a science fantasy novelist, blending machinery and magic with a dollop of humour in my storytelling. Of course I've been inspired by the two giants in their respective fields - Tolkien (fantasy)and Frank Herbert (sci-fi). Other noteworthy influences are Stephen Baxter and Clare Bell. But my earliest, and certainly greatest, influence remains Andre Norton. I fondly remember checking THE BEAST MASTER out of the school library over and over, wowed by the premise of a 'space western' featuring sentient animals and their telepathic handler pitted against an alien enemy. My own more...
