People know the difference between good and evil in their hearts-if they search them. Religions twist good and evil. Their differences are the kind that need to be taught because they aren't natural.

If you look at the world one way, it takes from you - it's a thief of time, energy, creative mojo. But if you look at the world another way, it gives you an endless supply of motivation.

Weakness, like not being able to bury the past. Weakness, like not giving up hope when you know you should.

My childhood was marked by the great fear of nuclear holocaust. We practiced our Civil Defense Drills, lining up in hallways, curled to the floor, but we knew we'd die or, worse, survive only to suffer radiation and slow death.

Literature has done great work for feminism - writing and reading are a practice of empathy - and great literature will continue to do so.

As a writer, my main objective is to tell the story urgently - as if whispering it into one ear - and to know the characters intimately.

Don't shame the young for releasing their pent-up fear.