[Robert] Aikman would write horror stories that weren't gore, they weren't slashers, and they weren't monster stories either. He called them ghost stories. The main thing about them was the vibe. It was really disquieting. He wanted to sketch the scene so that you could see it and know the characters and get a feel for the motion - and then ask yourself why and not get a final answer. Leave something that itches. I loved that!

There is something fierce and starved about first ideas.

I still get really excited looking at stuff that I've seen every day for 20 years.

There are so many ways to respond to music besides feeling like someone's communicating with you. It gives me a charge.

I get nostalgic about having lived in Ames, Iowa, even though being a vegetarian in Iowa is not fun.

There are only two stories: either you go forward or you die.

The reality of having a kid involves day-to-day practicality - not broader philosophical outlooks.