As for me, nearly everyone in my family writes, either professionally or as a hobby. I have been writing stories since I was in grade school. I started writing fanfiction, specifically "Star Wars" fanfiction shortly after the theatrical release of "A New Hope" and managed to get some of my fanfiction printed in the "Star Wars" themed fanzines that were produced in abundance at the time. It was my first taste of having international readership. 

Along with fanfiction, I wrote several original short stories, some sci-fi/fantasy, but mostly modern and historical romances. I was always drawn to the unrequited love themes or the forbidden or impossible loves that could never be. 

I also expanded my fanfiction to include different genres I liked. In all of them, I write what I, myself, would like to read. My favorite thing to do in fanfiction is describe a 'lost' scene. This could either be something that was happening while something else was being shown, or some piece of the past or future that surrounds the main time in which a movie, book, or tv series is presented in. Another favorite thing of mine to write is to take a relatively minor character and spotlight him or her. I've found you have a little bit more freedom when writing about minor characters as very little is actually known about them and YOU can be the one to create their history or future. 

In the mid 80's the tv series "Beauty and the Beast" spawned numerous fan clubs and fanzines. I was drawn to the stormy romance between the leonine non-human Vincent and the beautiful, wealthy Catherine. I was involved in my own surrealistic romance at the time and could relate to theirs entirely. My "B&TB" fanfiction found readership with fanzines, the archive sites on the net, and with the publication of my own fanzine, "Shadowscapes." 

Other genres I have written for include "Phantom of the Opera", "Quantum Leap", and "X-Files." Most of these remain handwritten in old notebooks and have never been submitted anywhere. They were written solely for my own entertainment (or for challenges or contests.) Very little of what I have actually written has ever been read by anyone but myself. 

My artwork has evolved with my writing. I've illustrated more fanzines than I can remember, sold art at conventions, donated art for raffles and charities, and just plain given away dozens of originals. 

I work mostly in black and white, but have dabbled with color here and there. Ironically, I feel my
more memorable works have been in color. These include murals, done with regular indoor housepaint. There was a unicorn I did for my sister's bedroom. Then there was a seven foot high torso of a red-headed male angel holding a pegasus in his palm, and the other was an eight foot tall silhouette of Darth Vader. 

But my penchant remains for light and shadows, texture, and minute detail. The kind of detail you can only get with an extremely sharp pencil. It always amazes me how one small line or shadow can change the whole look of a drawing. I love drawing detail, but only with my main subject. I can't draw landscapes or backgrounds. Or fruit or buildings. I get bored with these. My subject has to be alive. I like to show expression, personality, and movement. Even if it's just tendrils of flowing hair. My style slightly leans more towards surrealism. I don't like to make my subjects too realistic and photo-like. To me those kind of drawings don't show the artist's style and tend to lose their expression. 

Like writing fiction, my art is a hobby and by no means a profession. I draw and write what and how I like to keep myself amused. However, having someone else appreciate and admire what I do is eternally gratifying, I'll never deny that. It's all about self-expression really. The need in all of us to let others know who we are and what we think and feel. It's all a part of me, in the end.