I started reading long before I started writing. In fact, it was my love of reading that inspired me to try my hand at writing. My greatest inspiration for writing is Lawrence Sanders, now writing in Heaven. The earlier Sanders books were all terrific, but the series he wrote before he died, the series featuring Archy McNally, were the books I enjoyed most. The final five books in the series were written by Vincent Lardo after Sander's death. Lardo did a credible job with the McNally character, but nobody could portray the character of Archy McNally like Lawrence Sanders.

I continue to devour books, but now, rather than for pure entertainment, I find myself studying various author's styles. I've discovered some write to a very predictable and preset map. Other's freeform and you never know what's coming next. But I find it very helpful to observe how other writers describe scenes, develop characters, and give little clues to help the reader solve the mystery before the final chapter.