When I first started out, I was trying to write stories about nurses and lawyers and a lot of people I didn't know anything about, and they just weren't working.

I don't really think the outburst is recent; there have always been writers in Appalachia.

Id always been a big reader, and I loved books, and I always thought writing would be a great way to get by in the world.

I'm beginning to believe that anything I do to extend my life is just going to be outweighed by the agony of living it.

A lot of people get the wrong impression, think there's something romantic or tragic about hitting bottom.

I guess music is the one universal art form that most people can be moved by, regardless of where they come from, and for many it might be the closest they get to god, but I think taking a trip out into the country, away from the light pollution, and looking at a clear night sky is what does it best for me.

As for how I feel about any success I've had, I just feel extremely lucky. Writing is a tough racket, and there are a lot of writers out there better than me who can't seem to catch a break.