Writing became an obsessive compulsive habit but I had almost no money so I thought about being an urban firefighter and having lots of free time in which to write or becoming an English teacher and thinking about books and writers on a daily basis. That swayed me.

Cities produce in me melancholy or a tension I don't need.

I became paralyzed as an artist with writer's block.

Hemingway said the only way to write about a place is to leave it.

I think you have an obligation to share what you know as a writer.

I know you'll think this is crazy, but all I want to do is hold you, and I think that if you'll let me do that just for a few seconds, I can walk away, and never speak to you again.

The best advice on writing I've ever received is to take it seriously, because to do it well is all-consuming.