Imagining something is better than remembering something.

If I had to be anything," he told her, "I'd probably be a socialist, but I don't want to be anything.

No touching Baby Jesus.” “But we’re his parents!” proclaimed Mary Beth, who was being generous to include poor Joseph under this appellation. “Mary Beth,” Barb Wiggin said, “if you touch the Baby Jesus, I’m putting you in a cow costume.

Being reviewed is being condescended to by your inferiors.

Children are most impressed with the importance of a moment when they witness a parent breaking the parents' own rule.

There's a lot of ignorance about how long it takes to write a novel. There's a lot of ignorance about how long a novel is in your head before you start to write it.

You've got to get obsessed and stay obsessed.