If what we want to do is promote reading and writing and publishing and making sure this is a business that keeps going - because it is a business! It's not just an art - then we have to take responsibility. I get sort of crazy and frothy when I think about this. It really matters.

That's important to me, to recommend books.

She sang as if she was saving the life of every person in the room.

I am not mature enough as a reader to enjoy a book in which I hate all the people.

The tricky thing about being a writer, or about being any kind of artist, is that in addition to making art you also have to make a living.

Why is it that we understand playing the cello will require work, but we attribute writing to the magic of inspiration?

I don't really do anything with the Internet except check my email. I have a much higher opinion of humanity because of that.