History is where tensions were.

Occasionally a student writer comes up with something really beautiful and moving, and you won't know for years if it was an accident or the first burst of something wonderful.

For a Jewish Puritan of the middle class, the novel is serious, the novel is work, the novel is conscientious application why, the novel is practically the retail business all over again.

When you write it doesn't occur to you that somebody could think different from what you do.

Once in awhile you have a thought, and you rhyme it.

I do insist on making what I hope is sense so there's always a coherent narrative or argument that the reader can follow.

The spirit world doesn't admit to communicating with me, so it's fairly even.