The fact is there are many women who nod politely, even agree openly within their male-dominated often highly educated cultures, but vote their own minds.

The poem has to bear the weight with image, language... the screenplay with dialogue, plot.

Writers aren't born properly labeled so it is hard to know one when one appears.

I don't know when I'm writing dark. I don't know when I'm writing funny or even heartbreaking. I'm always just trying to write it true.

I've left the Church - for many reasons that I've written about publicly - but it's still a large part of my identity, and I still have my faith, if not my Church.

And I know I'm supposed to feel guilty for wanting people to buy my books... and books in general? Novels and poetry, they belong to the realm of art. How dirty of us to try to hawk art! But, after a decade of hand-wringing and apologies, I can't quite muster the guilt anymore.

I feel too much. It's like being drummed to death from within. You know?