I'm a writer, not an editor, and though the editing rarely cut into my writing time, it did take away from that walking-around-thinking-about-it-when-you're-not-thinking-about-it time that I think is important for writers. When you're half-thinking about what you're working on while driving, cooking . . . just letting things sift and settle, come to you.

It is sort of weird being honored for the worst day of your life.

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

I quit law in 1988 to start writing, and it took me 17 years from that point to get a book contract. I guess you can say I was on the slow train.

I never listen to music when I'm writing.

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

I realized I was never going to have any peace with myself unless I made an honest stab at trying to write.