You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love the person for that.

In my opinion, trying to guess what readers want is the wrong approach. You have to tell your story as best you can and as true to yourself as possible. You have to be honest and fair and vulnerable and foolish and brave, and not care what anyone thinks of it.

That was the thing to remember about all monsters, They love to frighten people, but the minute you stare them down, they turn tail and run.

One thing about whoring: It put a chicken on the table.

One of the many lessons I hope I've learned is how much I underestimated people, their open-mindedness and their willingness to understand. I think, moreover, I underestimated the degree to which everyone has a story. So my advice, for whatever it's worth, is to trust readers, trust the truth and trust the power of storytelling.

Nobody's perfect. We're all just one step up from the beasts and one step down from the angels.

Don't worry, God understands,' Mom said. 'He knows that your father is a cross we must bear.