The stories tend to be what I work on when I'm stuck. Something will just pop into my head and I'll think that's more of a story.

The first fiction I ever wrote was short stories. I was writing short stories in my late teens and early twenties, and I think it's how you teach yourself to write.

The first seven years that I wrote fiction, I sent out stories and a novel and made a total of $25.

I'm certainly eclectic in my writing.

Because I'm a novelist, I think in terms of structure. The way I keep going is through structure. It's what inspires me and pushes me through.

A writer needs four things to achieve greatness, Pasquale: desire, disappointment, and the sea.” “That’s only three.” Alvis finished his wine. “You have to do disappointment twice.

You have to do disappointment twice.