Your memories from your early childhood seem to have such purchase on your emotions. They are so concrete.

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.

My husband is a musician. He cooks and he's a chef but he also, he makes basement recordings. So many people in my life make basement recordings, so I feel very lucky, I'm surrounded by very creative people.

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

I always think the novelist should go to the culture's dark places and poke around. Pose a lot of hard questions.

Usually there is a paradox in what a character wants. A conflict is built deeply within them. And then you put them in motion, throw everything at them until they reveal themselves further.