It's a time when a lot of principle virtues are being tested. Do we still believe in the truth? Do we still believe in empathy? Do we still believe the protection of the weakest among us? These are yes or no questions, but the means of communication is all tied up with those virtues and you can't abandon those virtues as you pursue them.

Monologues, in some ways, are the most scientific descriptions of consciousness and even of gatherings.

I think the trick of being a writer is to basically put your cards out there all the time and be willing to be as in the dark about what happens next as your reader would be at that time. And then you can really surprise yourself. There's that cliche, "No surprise for the writer, no surprise for the reader!"

The story sometimes writes you into a corner.

The best thing we can bring to any fight is a calm and compassionate mind.

I'm very happy - if I can do even a little bit of work to get the short story out more, I'm thrilled.

I don't feel like I have the intelligence to really inhabit a consistently high level of prose.