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.

Write because you love the art and the discipline, not because you're looking to sell something.

Happiness compresses time, makes it dense and bright, pocketsized.

Art stands on the shoulders of craft, which means that to get to the art, you must master the craft.

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.

shame should be reserved for the things we choose to do, not the circumstances that life puts on us

I have seven step-siblings from my mother's second and third marriages. My degree of closeness to my step-siblings varies among the seven but I have a great sense of loyalty to all of them, especially the four from my childhood. If those people needed my help I would be there for them.