What inspired you to become a writer?

Q.   I’m doing an author study.  Could you tell me what inspired you to become a writer?

Phyllis replied:  Probably the fact that my parents read aloud to us every night, even after we entered high school.  It was just a family thing.  I especially loved hearing my dad read books by Mark Twain, because he was so good at imitating the voices of the various characters.  I guess I figured that if listening to stories was so much fun, writing them must be even better, and I think it’s a draw.