Stories matter. Many stories matter.

I am interested in challenging the mainstream ideas of what is beautiful and what is acceptable.

Race doesn't really exist for you because it has never been a barrier. Black folks don't have that choice.

Show a people as one thing, only one thing, over and over again, and that is what they become.

My characters are usually composites. I wish I could pretend that I make up all of these characters, but no. I steal from people. But people will say to me, "Oh, that's me!" and I'm thinking, no, that's not you!

Your life belongs to you and you alone.

The best novels are those that are important without being like medicine; they have something to say, are expansive and intelligent but never forget to be entertaining and to have character and emotion at their centre.