I think publishing's strength is also its weakness. It's got such a rich and celebrated history as an industry. For the most part, publishing people are incredibly creative, business is done based on the strength of relationships, and the product being peddled is books.

The past always sort of haunts us and perhaps inspires us in some ways.

The birth mother is placing the baby out of love. I still believe that. Well, the ones weve dealt with who were actually pregnant, anyway.

As writers, we don't just need to write about poverty or war or the immigrant experience.

I think that when the world feels safe and secure, we probably feel more that way in our personal lives. What goes on in the world affects us, unequivocally.

History releases me from my own experience and jogs my fictional imagination.

I feel sometimes like a book tour is a slow series of humiliations and that if you're strong you'll come out of it OK.