Courage and passion are as important to a writing career as the sun is to living. These virtues shine through Martha Wells’
interview on
Writers Write Blog.
Working as a fantasy writer, Wells enthuses, “I just like that feeling of a window onto another time and place. It's similar to what I like best about SF [science-fiction] and fantasy, the feeling of being able to experience whole different worlds.”
With a degree in anthropology, Wells has always liked folklore and mythology.” She creates the culture of her world-building from “elements of real cultures around the world.”
Wells full-time plunge into a writing career began a few years ago. She worked in computer support and as a programmer and web designer. However, she wanted to be a writer from an early age. Steven Gould’s writer’s workshop during college stimulated her serious thinking about writing as a career.
Major influences in Wells’ writing are Sherlock Holmes, H. P. Lovecraft, Robert Heinlein, and Andre Norton. “She [Norton] wrote both fantasy and science fiction, and she was the first, or one of the first, writers to use a lot of the concepts that are fairly standard in fantasy and SF today. I think she was very ahead of her time.”
Wells mentions these books during her interview:
- “The Children of Green Knowe" books by L.M. Boston
- "Jumper" by Steven Gould
- The Three Musketeers and the other Dumas books
- Books by Jules Verne
- "The Bridge of Birds" by Barry Hughart
- "Imaro" by Charles Saunders
- "The Patient's Eyes" by David Pirie is a recent favorite
The
Element of Fire is Wells’ latest book.
Visit her website
here.
Fantasy author John Marco announces in his blog post today that he’s done—with his latest book, Army of the Fantastic. He’s offering a book giveaway contest. How cool is that! 
