Rhonda Leigh Jones

I think I may have become a professional writer by accident. I graduated college and the next thing I knew, I had 11 years' experience as a newspaper journalist under my belt and was sitting in an apartment in Romania making a living as a copywriter. In my life as a journalist, I covered everything from politics to arts and entertainment to human interest to humor.

I've had telephone conversations with author Kurt Vonnegut, actor Ethan Phillips, singer Louise Mandrell, musician Doc Severensen and plenty more. Assignments have put me on hot-air balloons and in tiger cages.

As for fiction, I've done my fair share of that, generally in the sci-fi/fantasy realms. I am most inspired by Kurt Vonnegut, Douglas Adams, J.K. Rowling and Monty Python.

I grew up in Augusta, Ga., and have a B.A. in English, but my interest runs the gamut through the arts and sciences. Especially psychology, which is one of the most important disciplines for a writer to study.

I have just discovered I don't have a satisfactory head shot, but I will put one up soon.