Before the world was made, when it was only darkness and mist and waters, God was well aware of Lake Wobegon, my family, our house, and He had me all sketched out down to what size my feet would be (big), which bike I would ride (Schwinn), and the five ears of corn I'd eat for supper that night.

He was admired for never being at a loss for words and never wasting any either.

I don't have a great eye for detail. I leave blanks in all of my stories. I leave out all detail, which leaves the reader to fill in something better.

... life itself is brief, and that is what charges the day with such ridiculous beauty.

When you're a little kid, your heart is open and tender and a harsh word can go straight in and become part of your life.

For me, the monologue was the favorite thing I had done in radio. It was based on writing, but in the end it was radio, it was standing up and leaning forward into the dark and talking, letting words come out of you.

Honesty is a rare commodity in a palace, and that is why so many fairy-tale marriages end up on the rocks.