I always loved the verve and vivacity of pulp and I kind of merged it with my own interest in family stories.

When I left Iowa, I definitely never wanted to stand in front of a group of academics again and see if they approved of me. I made up my mind to take my work to the actual reading public.

I always loved the verve and vivacity of pulp and I kind of merged it with my own interest in family stories.

For a long time, I thought you could remain isolated and survive, and I didn't want to change that. But over the last three or four books, I've become more comfortable with the idea that I'm not really throwing anything away by being a bit more open about my books and life.

I said shut up once already, with my mouth.

I've bumped into at least three people in town who all insist 'Winter's Bone' is about them.

I felt like a number of things in me as a writer just clicked.