I don't think the world is particularly responsive to - our world, the culture we are in, to art right now.

I always write the best that I can. And I won't publish it until I have done it right.

I know important literary writers who can't get published.

I love thrillers. I would even read certain science fiction, although I haven't been a devotee for many years.

My heroes are people like Philip Levine, who is simply like a god to me, as a writer. And he is a very good man, too.

I can't imagine having the courage to ask a publisher to do a whole book of my poems.

The best defense is a good story.