I think it's important to remember that writing is a gift and our stories are gifts to ourselves and to the world and sometimes giving isn't always the easiest thing to do but it comes back.

I think people are sometime reluctant to read outside of their own race. This is heartbreaking.

You're a part of me...You're in my heart. Forever and always, all right? —D

When you think of how a child experiences a series of events, it feels, for so long, like she's looking at everything from behind this glass and it's obscured.

I think boys don't always like to read books with female protagonist - I don't even know what to say about this.

Racism doesn't know color, death doesn't know age, and pain doesn't know might.

Because I write realistic fiction, I generally don't think about fixing anyone - I just think about how I want to feel at the end of the book - And I try to write toward that feeling.