I don't believe in fate, as in, which I - as a Catholic, I think, sort of predestination. But I certainly believe in chance.
Ann PatchettWe have different kinds of intimacy with many, many people. I'm disappointed by well-written novels that only deal with two or three people.
Ann PatchettIt was all in my head and now all I had to do was figure out a way to get it down on paper.
Ann PatchettReading fiction is important. It is a vital means of imagining a life other than our own, which in turn makes us more empathetic beings. Following complex story lines stretches our brains beyond the 140 characters of sound-bite thinking, and staying within the world of a novel gives us the ability to be quiet and alone, two skills that are disappearing faster than the polar icecaps.
Ann Patchett