Listen to advice. You don't know how many writer's conferences I've taught at where at least half the audience fights all the conventions of the field.

Everybody is a True Believer. Everybody has a little nugget they're convinced of that is the opposite of the nugget on the other side. And they're convinced it's fact.

If you don't burn the candle at both ends, what's the candle got two ends for?

Nobody in real life ever takes me seriously.

I was the executive editor on a little magazine called Greek Accent, whose only claim to fame is that its art director went on to be the art director of Discover for many years.

My husband used to take care of the business part of this, and after he died I found I wasn't really any good at it. I hate remembering who owes me what and bugging them if they haven't paid me.

I tend to come up with people more than situations - most of my books start with a character.