I look at pastries and cakes, tarts and pies. My body craves sugar, always craves sugar. Years of alcohalism and the high level of sugar in alcohal created the craving, which I feed with candy and soda.

To say that you can't see echoes of the past in what I do would be absurd. Everything that has preceded me has affected me.

Trauma is survivable, but often not much more. It kills you while allowing you to still live.

This Girl with nothing but her own strength and a desire to be free. With nothing but a beating heart that is scared to be alone. With nothing but clear blue eyes that see through me and understand me. With nothing but open arms ready to receive me. To stand by me. To walk with me. To love me. I love her. Lilly. The Girl with nothing and everything. Lilly. I love her. A tear appears. She smiles. She leans forward kisses my lips softly kisses me and as our lips touch barely touch she whispers. I love you too, James. Our lips barely touching she whispers. I love you. Whispers. I love you.

Life, not death, is the great mystery you must confront.

I try to write books that are different from the books I've already written. I think one of the thing I really try to do is reinvent how a novel can be written.

One of the beautiful and terrible things about America is you can go there and still be whatever you want, if you bust your ass and you have some luck.