Writing a story or a novel is one way of discovering sequence in experience, of stumbling upon cause and effect in the happenings of a writer's own life.

A good snapshot stops a moment from running away.

The strands are all there; to the memory nothing is ever lost.

Each day the storm clouds were opening like great purple flowers and pouring out their dark thunder. Each nightfall, the storm was laid down on their houses like a burden the day had carried.

I wanted to read immediately. The only fear was that of books coming to an end.

Southerners love a good tale. They are born reciters, great memory retainers, diary keepers, letter exchangers . . . great talkers.

Long before I wrote stories, I listened for stories.