No one tells the truth to people they don't actually know, and if they do it is a horrible trait. Everyone wants something smaller, something neater than the truth.

Thank God Roxane Coss had not fallen in love with one of the Russians. She doubted they could make it up the stairs without stopping for a cigarette and telling at least one loud story that no one could understand.

You can't be a jerk in order to be a good writer.

Just because things hadn't gone the way I had planned didn't necessarily mean they had gone wrong.

Coming back is the thing that enables you to see how all the dots in your life are connected.

We have different kinds of intimacy with many, many people. I'm disappointed by well-written novels that only deal with two or three people.

Some people need a huge amount of attention, and they are worthy of that attention, and they're still exhausting.