Snowflake challenge no. 2: Fannish origin story

In your own space, talk about your fannish origin story.

( Cut for length )

TLDR: My true fannish origin story (that is, the transition from "enthusiastically interested" to "100 percent hyperfixated") started with Claire Gabriel. If I hadn't been inspired by her writing to create that very first story of my own, I would never have written and published (and later posted) my fanfic, and I never would have formed the friendships that sustained me for so many years.