I look at my books the way parents look at their children. The fact that one becomes more successful than the others doesn't make me love the less successful one any less.

In my writing, as much as I could, I tried to find the good, and praise it.

Either you deal with what is the reality, or you can be sure that the reality is going to deal with you.

In all of us there is a hunger, marrow-deep, to know our heritage, to know who we are and where we came from.

Your attitude is everything. Believe in yourself and trust your material. To be a successful writer, write every single day where you feel like it or not. Never, never give up, and the world will reward you beyond your wildest dreams.

Brown people wouldn't speak to someone who was black.

Beginning writers must appreciate the prerequisites if they hope to become writers. You pay your dues - which takes years.