Studying writing to me means reading and also rewriting obsessively. That's the best way to learn.

Most of my writer friends are women, and they're all extremely talented, so of course I think the state of contemporary fiction for women is pretty great. Which is to say there is a ton of amazing work out there. These women are writing hard. There's much to be said. We're on it, chief.

My laptop broke and because of the storm I could not get a new one. And so I've been promoting my book via iPhone.

The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry is a breezy, big-hearted treat, especially if you've ever wondered about the inner workings of America's national treasures--neighborhood bookstores.

I wish I had the luxury of time to read and write like grad students do. That sounds pretty awesome. When I was writing my first book one of my friends was going to grad school at the same time and I heard a lot of stories about drinking, too. I feel like everyone was having affairs.

I find that short stories are almost like palate cleansers, or brain cleansers.

I wish I could write while I'm on the road but it never works for me. I need to be sitting still.