I’ve loved reading books since, well, since I first learned to read. My first full-length novel was The Wizard of Oz. I remember getting it, along with Fifty Famous Fairy Tales and Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm for Christmas, around my eighth birthday. Since it was winter break from school, I would lie in my bed early in the morning, reading, while the rest of the family was still asleep. I would stay awake late at night reading, too.
I also remember one morning telling my mother that I loved the way the author, L. Frank Baum, created pictures in my head. I asked her, “How does he do that? I want to do that, too.” https://www.amazon.com/Oz-Complete-Collection-Dorothy-Emerald-ebook/dp/B00K4CU0QS
While in elementary school, our classes routinely went to the school’s library, because the teachers and administrators wanted to encourage us to read. In one of my schools, we got to take turns being a library assistant and handling the checking out of books by our classmates. That was fun.
I read mysteries, fantasies, historical novels, historical fiction, and biographies, as early as third and fourth grade. I craved the knowledge, the imagery, the emotions, and the companionship I got from those books. As I grew older I added romance novels, time-travel fiction, and literary novels to my genres. Later still, I read lots of nonfiction–including health/diet/fitness books, books about writing, research books for my own writing, etc.
Still today, I read all the time. I carry my Kindle in my purse so that have it handy if I find time to read while I’m out and about. And I read all types of books.
I doubt anyone was surprised when I turned to writing my own books fifteen years ago. I write the kinds of books I love to read, and I hope that other people get the same enjoyment that I got from reading all those wonderful books over the years.