Charm was the luxury of those who still believed in the essential rightness of things. In purity and picket fences.

When I was young, I asked my priest how to get to heaven and still protect yourself from all the evil in the world. He told me what God told His children;'You are sheep among wolves, be wise as the serpent, yet innocent as doves.

The world according to Bubba is simple - if it aggravates you, stop it. By whatever means necessary.

It's very simple. If you learn how to write well, to write with depth, cream will rise to the top. You'll get published. But, there is no secret.

I have a lot of rage about things that didn't happen to me, tied up with watching an immigrant, working-class father struggle to make his way through the world - and seeing how society was modeled to keep him in his place.

What molds us is what maims us.

You've learned that every good lie is threaded with truth and every accepted truth leaks lies.