But there was something psychological happening there that was just a little bit different. And the other thing was, there was no stigma. Kids weren't going into the 'Center-for-Kids-That-Need-More-Help' or something like that. It was 826 Valencia.

Now I'm in nonfiction. To me any given story has its appropriate form. There might be some story I get involved with that's begging to be a graphic novel, so that will have to be that way. There's always that matching of the content and the form, and that means everything to me. I spend years thinking about what that match is going to be before I can really make it work.

Well, my background is journalism. I don't have any creative-writing experience except for one class I took as a sophomore in college.

Once a year, she remembers that she is insignificant. Then she forgets agains, because more than she is insignificant, she is forgetful.

Every time I get through the work on a book of nonfiction, I say I'll never do it again; it takes so much out of you.

It was just an idea I had, that it could be cool to have a book covered in fake fur.

I worked at magazines for over 10 years before I even thought of writing a book.