I grew up in Natick, Massachusetts and attended public school. I've always wanted to be a writer, ever since I was a kid and wrote with crayons on construction paper. I had other career aspirations—trumpet player, archaeologist, unicorn—that didn't quite pan out, so I'm glad I stuck with writing.

I went to Emerson College in Boston, and majored in writing with a focus on fiction. I was thrilled to finally have the opportunity to take writing classes. I wrote a lot of bitter love sonnets and short stories with no plot, gradually realizing how much I had to learn.

I’m still learning about writing. I read a lot, always taking note of things like dialogue, plot and character development. The vast majority – if not everything – of what I’ve learned about writing has come from what I’ve read, both what I've liked and disliked. Writing is a craft, and development of that craft is ongoing.

I don't feel quite "settled" unless I'm working on a novel, or at least know what my next project will be. In between projects I feel like I'm floating around, unfocused, and all of my little baby-sized ideas pop into my head and try to impress me so that I pay them some attention. Eventually something happens—a sudden spark that makes me certain what my next story will be. An idea becomes an obsession, a fixation. It feels a lot like a secret crush.

Other stuff about me: I love castles and sheep. I love ice cream. I get nervous speaking in public, and I still write really horrible first drafts. You hear that, all you writers out there? First drafts are generally lousy, so accept and embrace this fact and keep at it. Revise. Eat ice cream. Things will get better.

To find out what I'm up to, please visit my blog: http://alisamlibby.wordpress.com/