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 had always loved life on the road. It was just something that appealed to me very deeply.

It's good to try stuff. I wrote a book that I threw away, and I think I just wrote it so I could try stuff in it and not be scared

I love reading books that you can't put down, and they just take you over for a night or a weekend.

Sometimes, things are just exercises.

The very best parts of me go into my writing, it is the best version of myself, and I don't think it's hubristic to believe that that's worth something, worth someone else's time. It's the most I have to offer the world.

My last book was speculative. I just don't quite know what I am doing. But I'll get there. I have a list of things I would love to write.