At one level you're condemned to the voice you have. But within those confines, you have a certain amount of freedom to range among your possible voices.

I was born in Washington State and have lived here for 42 plus years.

My book is traditional. It runs counter to the post-modern spirit.

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

I write because something inner and unconscious forces me to. That is the first compulsion. The second is one of ethical and moral duty. I feel responsible to tell stories that inspire readers to consider more deeply who they are.

What some people interpret as brooding melancholy is serenity. I don't feel required to grasp all the time.

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