I think my knowledge of people I've known in my life creeps into my work all the time. I think I use it as a way of understanding, and sharing what I've learned. Sometimes when I read another author's book I'll read about a situation going on with the characters and I'll just feel like I can see how it was translated from real life. I'll feel that the writer knew exactly what something felt like that they've been through or they witnessed someone go through, because they described it so perfectly.