My mom, without a doubt. She passed away recently, but everything I am traces back to her. She raised four kids in the projects, held the line when things got hard, and never let the world convince her we couldn’t make it. She’s the reason I fell in love with reading. When I was ten, she punished me by making me read Stephen King’s It. That book cracked open my imagination and curiosity. Everything I create carries a piece of her strength.

Honestly, it varies, but I’ve got a few favorites that always stick with me. Stephen King is a constant; his storytelling still hits me like it did when I was a kid. Nicholas Sansbury Smith is another one, I love how he builds tension and momentum.

Then there’s Craig Alanson and his Expeditionary Force series… I’m obsessed. If you haven’t read it yet, do yourself a favor and dive in. Pierce Brown’s Red Rising universe is next level worldbuilding, and Brandon Sanderson well, Steelheart was my gateway, but his other works completely sealed the deal.

And of course, Michael Stephen Fuchs and the Arisen series. That mix of tactical realism and raw humanity. Chef’s kiss.

So yeah, a wide range of voices, but all of them feed something I try to channel in my own writing: pace, purpose, and heart.