Now, Venus is an extremely hostile environment, and as such presents a lot of challenges for a science fiction author who wants to create life there. However, as I began to research it more thoroughly, I found myself intrigued by the possibilities the world offers.

I suppose if I was to have to pick a few, Ursula LeGuin would have to top the list. It was while reading her work that I decided I wanted to be an author.

I myself was born in Sacramento, California in 1966.

When I'm not at the keyboard, I'm generally reading, practicing tai chi or middle eastern dance, or cooking.

Fantasy is, of course, booming, and I think it's beginning to stretch its range as well.

The Lord of the Rings movie set an entirely new standard for fantasy in the movies.

All of this got me thinking about the history of the westward expansion, and got me to wondering how the exploration of the Solar System would be changed if there were an indigenous presence out there.