Absent parents aren't abusive per se. They're neglectful. They love in a very imperfect way. There are parents like that, and they do love their daughters and sons, but they're not parents in the way that we might think of it.

Words were different when they lived inside of you.

If you can quit for a day, you can quit for a lifetime.

Another secret of the universe: Sometimes pain was like a storm that came out of nowhere. The clearest summer could end in a downpour. Could end in lightning and thunder.

I do that with all of my characters. They have one of the flaws I have, and I zero in on that flaw.

Mostly, I think people are fake. Well, what do you expect? The fake world we live in conspires to make us all fakes.

I wondered if my smile was as big as hers. Maybe as big. But not as beautiful.