When readers don't like the book, it's usually because they feel that romantic love is pass or somehow needs more irony.

It's better to be nominated for awards than not to be nominated for them, but of course to some degree such awards [National Book Award] are always subjective.

Because it is the Midwest, no one really glitters because no one has to, it's more of a dull shine, like frequently used silverware.

There is no weather in malls.

Every relationship has at least one really good day. What I mean is, no matter how sour things go, there's always that day. That day is always in your possession. That's the day you remember. You get old and you think: well, at least I had that day. It happened once. You think all the variables might just line up again. But they don't. Not always. I once talked to a woman who said, "Yeah, that's the day we had an angel around.

Forget art. Put your trust in ice cream.

When readers don't like the book, it's usually because they feel that romantic love is pass or somehow needs more irony.