There's something almost adolescent about Whitman's paean to everything that was and remains good about America.

Making plans is a game. Life chooses for you.

It is terrible how much has been forgotten, which is why, I suppose, remembering seems a holy thing.

The other reason women wanted daughters was to keep their memories alive.

It was one of those perfect fall days when the air is cool enough to wake you up but the sun is also kissing your face.

I got nice rejections explaining that historical fiction was a difficult sell. But I kept trying.

Shakespeare in Love... such smart writing of an alternative view of history, and such beautiful acting. Like most Americans, I'm a sucker for the accent.