I took two fiction-writing courses in college and majored in literature. I felt that I had a knack though I wouldn't go so far as to call it a talent. But it scared me. I felt it was a childish thing wanting to write and that I would forget about it eventually.

You have the mainstream bourgeois life of the U.S., Europe, the "developed" world - the life of technology, education, mortgages, careers, a certain level of physical comfort - while on the other hand, several billion people on the planet exist on less than a dollar a day. That's a huge and terrible reality to get your head around.

By the end of the first decade of writing, I considered myself a confirmed failure in the eyes of the world.

The Kessler Theater is one such gem, an Art Deco beauty … for a slice of real life, there’s always the Kessler.

I think if you spend much time dwelling on influence you can get self-conscious about every line you write. That's a great way to freeze up.

If you could figure out how to live with family then you'd gone a long way toward finding your peace.

Late bloomer' is another way of saying 'slow learner.