I was a kid who sometimes got in trouble because I couldn't keep my mouth shut, which turned out to be an advantage when I became an opinion columnist.

Loss as muse. Loss as character. Loss as life.

I'm sure not afraid of success and I've learned not to be afraid of failure. The only thing I'm afraid of now is of being someone I don't like much.

People have writer's block not because they can't write, but because they despair of writing eloquently.

And sometimes you do everything right and something bad just happens. It's as simple, and as scary, as that.

The difference between government and leadership is that leadership has a soul.

I do a lot of mental work before I ever start writing.