Being a writer is a solitary life. So the little part of me that's an actor still enjoys the theatrical part of reading and doing the voices and telling the story.

She understood that her heart operated on its own instructions, that she had no control over it or, indeed, anything else.

You never get over it, but you get to where it doesn't bother you so much.

I saw the movie, he said. I know what it's about. Listen to this. When girls get to be about twelve or so - he leaned toward us - their tits bleed.

I tell my students that when you write, you should pretend you’re writing the best letter you ever wrote to the smartest friend you have. That way, you’ll never dumb things down. You won’t have to explain things that don’t need explaining. You’ll assume an intimacy and a natural shorthand, which is good because readers are smart and don’t wish to be condescended to.

I always work in a room where there's no Internet to keep from being distracted so easily.

No matter how long your've been at it, you always start from scratch.