Jean M. Auel — American Writer born on February 18, 1936,

Jean Marie Auel is an American writer. She is best known for her Earth's Children books, a series of novels set in prehistoric Europe that explores interactions of Cro-Magnon people with Neanderthals. As of 2010 her books have sold more than 45 million copies worldwide... (wikipedia)

And that's how I start myself. I usually go back a couple of pages, maybe to the beginning of the chapter, and I start reading. And as I'm reading, I'm tweaking - putting in a different word, changing the syntax, putting that clause over there, you know that sort of thing.
Aside from sales, the letters from readers have been primarily positive.
Of the two, I would think of my work as closer to Science Fiction than Fantasy.
The idea led me into the research, which continues to give me more ideas for the story.
I really fell in love with Africa.