Maybe there would be a bad outcome for some of the others, but no one was going to shoot a soprano.

I can't write the book I want to write, but I can and will write the book I am capable of writing.

I used to do everything to keep a wall up around myself and keep my life quiet so that I could write.

Home, bed, sleep, mother--who knew more beautiful words than these?

Our friendship was like our writing in some ways. It was the only thing that was interesting about our otherwise dull lives. We were better off when we were together. Together we were a small society of ambition and high ideals. We were tender and patient and kind. We were not like the world at all.

The thing you can count on in life is that Tennessee will always be scorching hot in August.

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