There are many different ways to be poor in the world but increasingly there seems to be one single way to be rich.

Americans think African writers will write about the exotic, about wildlife, poverty, maybe AIDS. They come to Africa and African books with certain expectations.

And it's wrong of you to think that love leaves room for nothing else. It's possible to love something and still condescend to it.

I like the U.S. and feel gratitude towards it.

When I'm in a good mood I like to cook. But I don't like saying it in public because I find myself being resentful of the idea; "Now you will make a good wife. You can cook, right?" So when people ask me I go, "No, I don't like cooking!"

Why did people ask "What is it about?" as if a novel had to be about only one thing.

I have chosen to no longer be apologetic for my femaleness and my femininity. And I want to be respected in all of my femaleness because I deserve to be.