Then in middle school I found a book of short stories, each one about a different character in the Mos Eisley Cantina!
I still have my original copy.
There are a couple things that I can directly credit with putting parts of my life onto the track they've followed.
Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set - Holmes edition:
This was my introduction to D&D when I was eight years old. Aside from having the effect of greatly enhancing both my reading and basic math abilities, it was responsible for the realization that I could create my own stories - setting off the original spark of the creative energy that I've had all my life.
It also helped spark my interest in history and mythology.
Clash of the Titans/Jason and the Argonauts/The Dark Crystal
I saw the original
CotT and
JatA as a double feature at a drive-in when I was a kid, as well as the
Sinbad movies from the 1970's on VHS, and Ray Harryhausen helped spark off my interest in movie FX.
Along with Jim Henson, he instilled in me a lifelong fascination with tiny things, which led to both my model-building and miniatures hobbies.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
I started going to showings of Rocky Horror in my late 20's, and soon joined the shadow cast. I ended up spending nearly a decade of my life performing shows all over New England and traveling all over the country to national conventions. I have the movie title and lips logo tattooed on my right shoulderblade.
I met a lot of people that I respected and admired, made friends from all walks of life ranging in age from 15 to 50, and eventually ended up being a fairly well-respected member of the national Rocky Horror scene.
There were times that Rocky Horror literally saved my life - even in the deepest depths of depression and the darkest thoughts I had, I kept going because I had a show to do that weekend, and they needed me to be there.