When you ask, did writing change my life? It totally changed my life. It gave me my life.

It's strange, but when it comes right down to it I never do fall apart--even when I'm sure I will.

It was a such a surprise, such an absolute shocking surprise to me to not know what you're doing and to find out that this thing that you don't even know how to do, that you're sure you don't know how to do, speaks to so many people and touches so many people in some way.

Ideas seem to come from everywhere - my life, everything I see, hear, and read, and most of all, from my imagination. I have a lot of imagination.

Do not let anyone discourage you. If they try: get determined, not depressed.

A lot of people worry much too much about what their children are reading... If a child picks up a book and reads something she has a question about, if she can go to her parents, great. Or else they will read right over it. It won't mean a thing. They are very good, I think, at monitoring what makes them feel uncomfortable. If something makes them feel uncomfortable they will put it down.

[ Adult novels] was the world of grownups. There was nothing about teenagers.