Writers don't write in a vacuum

Hello Everyone!

Every novel I've sold has had some kind of strong Relationship driving the plot, though working in the science fiction field before Paranormal and Futuristic Romance, I had to hide that fact.

I grew up on science fiction written for teenage boys, and eventually became a protege of Marion Zimmer Bradley, one of the first women in this field (went professional in the mid-1950's). Her first published story was CENTAURUS CHANGELING, and those literary analysts among you can work out the connection between that story and what you are publishing today in Alien Romance.

Eventually, I sold a Witch World story about a vampire to Andre Norton for her Witch World anthologies (it's in #2 of the series). Now, I've been writing prequels to that story, developing a vampire character -- and of course, eventually he's got to have a definitive soul-mate encounter.

So there are a large number of writers who have strongly influenced me -- from "I have to learn to write like that!" all the way to "I have to show them that's the wrong way to write!"

And I've been at it for decades now. You'll find my biography and bibliography linked from my homepage along with links to free chapters for all my in-print books, and a whole lot of free stories to read online.

Here is a short list of writers who influenced my work:
http://www.simegen.com/sgfandom/welcommittee/influenc.html One day I'll get up essays about each of those people -- I've known most of them personally.

Recently, while I was doing an interview for an online Star Trek and Australian convention publication, I had also just read a wonderful novel by Moira J Moore called RESENTING THE HERO. I googled up her website and emailed her that I would review her book and please ask her editor to get Ace to send me the sequel. I had forgotten the Ace publicist had sent the book -- many times authors arrange to have books sent to me. She replied in such a way that I knew she had heard of me, and might have read something of mine.

So while I was keyboarding the answers to interview questions, I happened to think of how many authors had influenced all my work (my Star Trek fan fiction, Kraith, posted now in simegen.com/fandom/ for free reading is Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover universe added to aired-Trek) and then I thought of the growing number of authors that I have influenced, that I haven't been keeping track of at all properly.

So I quick wrote back to Moira J. Moore and asked for a quote to include in my interview, and in the nick of time, I got it and plugged her work.

That was the day I was invited to contribute to this blog.

And I knew what I had to do. I have created a quick page for my homepage listing authors who are willing to admit in public that my work influenced them -- early in life, later, whatever. It could be either "I want to write like that" -- or "I have to show the world how wrong that is!"

I put Moira J Moore right on top and a couple others that I thought of off the top of my head, and the last on the list is Linnea Sinclair.

If I get a quote from Linnea and her URL I'll link it onto that page. I hope she reads this!

And anyone else who reads this who would like to be on that page can send me a quote and their URL to ambrovzeor@aol.com

I think creating a permanent record of these invisible links among us all is a worthy project. I think every author's homepage should contain such a page and personal essays where possible.

Is there anyone who agrees with me about this? Do readers want this as well as writers?

Jacqueline Lichtenberg
http://www.simegen.com/jl/