In first grade, I opted out of recess, preferring to sit inside and write my “novel.” In fifth grade, I began a writing collaboration with my best friend (okay, only friend), which consisted primarily of historical fiction epics with ample Oregon Trail content — hey, it was the early ‘90s. We also edited each other’s stories, passing marked-up manuscripts behind our teacher’s back. This is why I’m not particularly great at math, but feel like I came out of the womb with a thesaurus and an unwavering love for the em dash.