After recently looking up my name in Google search, I have discovered that people are confusing me with the actual published author, also named Rae Carson. It said so on the FAQ of her website at ht tp://w ww . rae carson .c om/faq/ . I am not her and she is not me. We are two separate individuals who just happen to love writing fantasy. (To be fair, I also love writing sci-fi, mystery, drama, and parody as well.)

It felt only right that I should contact her, (as we are each aware of each other's existence) and she responded to me! (Hello to you, Rae!!) She said she would have her publicist link this page to her FAQs.

Fun fact: When her publicist first wrote Rae's bio, the bio's OG draft said Rae got her start in the world of writing via Harry Potter fanfic [which was mistaken, in fact, and referencing my own stories.] I hope that's a significant sign of the quality of my work, to have been mistaken for another fine author. She told me that she couldn't, in good conscience, take credit for the hard work of another fellow author for which I am infinitely grateful! Thank you, Rae!!

Bonus Fun Fact: Out of morbid curiosity, I checked an internet archive. According to the Internet Wayback Machine, I've had the public Rae Carson moniker online for a number of years longer than she has. Weird, huh?!? But I digress! If you've wound up here from her page, for whatever reasons, I humbly thank you for your interest! And I hope you enjoy my stories!

The Other Rae Carson =D

Basic Stats

Hair: curly, poufy, dark brown shot through with silver
Eyes: Myopic Grey
Gender: Yes
Pronouns: Also yes
Age: 40-something
Height: 5' 9" ish, depending on the yardstick
Weight: slightly less than a metric ton
Car: SUV
Pets: Sweet loving Maine coon named Minerva McGonagall (Minnie for short)
Occupation: Misc.

Loves: Tangled the Series, Supernatural, Harry Potter, my best mates/fam/found fam, Star Trek, X-Files, Doctor Who, The Magicians, reading, listening to and composing music, my siblings esp. Beka, writing, drawing, singing, and my NEPHEWS and NIECES!!

Hobbies: cosplaying, writing, sewing, prop-making, toll painting, cooking (I love spicing up Italian dishes), four-tracking (four-wheeling,) off-roading, snow-machining, making up song parodies...the list goes on, really...

Favourite Music: I have waaaaay too many favey bands/songs, so I'll name the basic genre instead; ones I can remember, anyway: Progressive Rock- Nightwish, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Within Temptation; Indie/Brit Rock-MUSE, The Killers; Old-School Punk (Ramones/Pistols), Heavy Metal-old-school Metallica; Acid Rock (Motorhead), Dark Metal (Suicidal Tendencies), Hard Rock (AC/DC), Big Hair Bands--until they get too whiny (Poison), New Wave (Depeche Mode), oldies (60s and 70s), 80s Butt Rock, and basic weirdness/avante garde in general: KISS, Twisted Sister, Bloodhound Gang, Weird Al, They Might Be Giants, Flight of the Conchords, Tom Lehrer, Bob Rivers, etc, some classical/romantic (Brahms, Debussy, Verdi), many SOUNDTRACKS...and a bit of inspirational...on occasion. But by far, the best band EVER--would have to be...the Monkees! HAHAAHAAAA! Their brilliance stands the test of time, IMO.

Tattoos/Unusual Scars: No tattoos and too many scars to count, really. Countless ones on my limbs from autoimmune condition-based eczema; I do have one on my left ring finger that looks like a heart...it was from a case of chicken pox when I was 9 (this is what happens if you scratch too hard, kids.) I've also got a long one across the bridge of my nose from when I glass smashed on it when I was 15, oh yeah and I also have one down my stomach which looks like a zipper because of the 33 staples used to hold it together... Zipper Chic! And multiple other scars from a zillion surgeries. Chronic illness really sucks.

I enjoy doing fan chat, fan art, fan fiction, composing Harry Potteresque music...you get the idea. Living out here in the American Northwest, there's not loads to do... I'm a latecomer to the Potter franchise; until April 2004, I was a certified card-carrying member of the Harry Potter Loathers Society. Then I actually READ the books...facepalm The rest is history! In college, I wrote fiction for a published scifi zine so I know more than a bit of what I'm doing here...

All I ask is that you give my work a read, and let me know what you think. I'm open to CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, but if you have loads to say, please use my email on this page. I have a wide variety of work, as I write in just about every genre.

Many, many people have repeatedly asked me where I get my ideas, and how I am able to write about Harry the way I do. In a rather blanket way, I feel it only fair that I reply. Honestly, however, there is no single answer for this question. And I must unequivocally state it is definitely more inspiration than personal talent or ability. In other words, I don't write these stories: THEY write ME. So I suppose in some ways, especially since it was not me who created Harry Potter, it feels nearly...arrogant to call these stories "my writing", but for the sake of argument, that's how I shall refer to them. Here are just a few of the resources/reasons from which my imagination springs:

1) J. K. Rowling TERF attitudes are utterly unacceptable and unbecoming for such a public figure & as a semi-closeted queer person myself, I have gone through several grief stages over Ms. Rowling's utterly abominable public behavior's castigation of trans individuals.
2) Dan Radcliffe
3) Jim and Oliver Phelps
4) Bonnie Wright
5) Rupert Grint
6) Emma Watson
7) personal experiences/emotions
8) fellow HP enthusiasts/friends
9) music
10) drawing/sketching
11) life in general

I would like to think one can find inspiration in anything, even amongst the bad--for without it, one would never be able to truly appreciate the good they experience. All we need to do is look with the right attitude.
Okay, sorry--off the soapbox.

How to tell if you are a real writer: (Stolen from LaTashaMalfoy, with some minor changes!)

1. You get extremely grumpy and unpleasant if there is more than a 12-hour break between the times that you're sitting at your computer writing.

2. You sometimes act out your story ideas by yourself.

3. If you don't have your laptop, you are begging desperately for it.

4. You occasionally speak with adverbs such as 'wistfully' or 'reluctantly'.

5. You get super duper excited every time your fanfic gets a new review.

6. You live off of sugar and caffeine (And chocolate.)

7. You constantly speak in third person or past tense.

8. If someone bugs you while you're writing, you either completely tune them out or jump up and pounce on them until they leave.

9. You bring either your laptop or your notebook EVERYWHERE.

10. Your favorite sentence to hear from a person is "Can I read it" when they are talking about your stories.

11. Plot bunnies multiply in your head faster than tribbles.