I use several approaches –

First, my mantra from start to finish is “Keep the plot simple and straightforward.” This doesn’t imply that you should avoid clever plot twists, but the plot needs to be straightforward enough that you avoid having it become so entangled that you find yourself blocked for solutions that allow you to move forward.

Second, I listen carefully to Stephen King – create rich characters who react to situations according to their built-in nature. This is related to the above, because you as an author are responsible for keeping the actions and reactions of the characters believable and true to their nature.

Finally, if there is the need for creativity, I drink a small glass of orange juice (glucose for the brain) and start a one-man brainstorming session, almost always accompanied by walking and talking to myself. For me, this is the best way to create a list of interesitng options for breaking the block.

Well naturally, I strongly recommend the Bible – Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.

And then, of course, recommend my own recently released book – Children of the Scroll. 
An ancient magic is found in the modern world. No one is ready for it.

I’m also reading Lexicon, by Max Barry, so far, a very compelling read!

Finally, I’m listening to RELAXED by Megan Fate Marshman. She is the most compelling Christian author and speaker that I have ever heard – bar none.

I’m still working on the goal of reading every book that Stephen King has ever written, and I’ve recently discovered that I should be reading James Rollins, because his style is similar to mine, and I think that his works contain tools that I can learn from.

Thanks for the question! 
Obviously, writing fiction is quite different from writing patents and/or chapters in polymer science books. However, developing solutions for technical problems and creative writing both require creativity at their core. Every supervisor that I ever had provided the feedback that I was “the most creative person they have ever met” or “you are definitely a very creative problem solver”. This creative core combined with attention to detail and years of learning how to get my facts correct, together yield a story that is technically accurate while at the same time bringing fictional twists and turns that are believable.

As Ryan ran across the road and across the culvert, in a desperate effort not to be late for dinner, a dark form rose before him – an old woman made of mud. His momentum carried him directly into the folds of her long “jacket”, where she closed it around him, dropped back into the culvert and began digesting her meal.

Inspiration for the book came about a year before I started the book as my 11 year old daughter and I were driving at dusk to an intersection with a stop sign where an old woman rose up from a crouch as we approached. She looked very spooky in the dark, so I told my daughter in my best Vincent Price voice that the woman was the Mud Woman, and she was looking for children to eat who had stayed out too late. She punched me in the arm, but she’s apparently still scared of the dark, which I feel pretty bad about.

After thinking about it, the concept was a bit to close to Stephen King’s IT, so I morphed it into Children of the Scroll.

See also the related FAQ – Can you tell us a two-sentence horror story?

I was hard wired with creativity, and some would say almost too much so. It came with my DNA, and I’m not sure who I inherited it from, as neither my mom nor dad were particularly creative.

That being said, creativity alone requires disciplined writing skills to communicate a creative concept. As it turns out, writing the “teachings” of patents, scientific papers, business concept documents and research and development reports requires a great deal of logical, disciplined writing skills. Over the years, and with the help of many helpful but ruthlessly detailed scientist-reviewers, lawyer-reviewers and mentors, I acquired this writing skill. Think of a red hot ingot of steel being beaten into shape by a blacksmith. That was me.

The other very important skill that my technical background “forged” into me was a careful attention to getting all of the facts straight and providing citations to prove that my facts were indeed accurate. When Children of the Scroll was first introduced to a group of beta readers, some of the readers suggested that I provide citations to some of the key research that I had done. As a scientist, I thought that this was a reasonable idea, and did so. However, I received feedback (not the least of which was from Kirkus Reviews) that these citations were distracting. I have since removed them and future prints of the book will not have them. The good news is that people generally seemed impressed with my ability to interweave my research into Jewish legend with a fictional plot to form a believable story.

Thus, in this latter case (my ability to conduct research) my readers have “forged” a new skill into my fictional writing – leave out the citations!

This is a very easy question. It’s the Bible – Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. The author also happens to be an awesome friend and the book has my favorite quote – “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Far below this read, is my 2nd favorite read – Dune by Frank Herbert.