I do want to write about social/cultural/historical context. I'm interested in relationships, in character, but within a specific social context. Which is kind of a political thing, I admit that. But it's what I'm interested in, and it's how I believe human behavior is legible.

There are lots of authentic, moving characters in so-called systems novels, just as there are certainly deep structural ideas in some character-driven novels.

I like to buy books for the kids in my family. I guess that's why they call me the 'mean' aunt.

The writer has to be brave, I think.

Even if we try to see people in our lives accurately, it is distorted by our own wants and prejudices and experiences.

Even a documentary portrait of a person that tries to be very accurate is shaped by the filmmaker in so many ways.

I don't have a lot of skills, but one thing I can do is, I can compartmentalize. I can make that a little world that I can go back to, so I can be a waitress, or I can be a teacher, and then go and work on my book.