I prefer a cluttered workspace.

A good novel doesn't just transcend the boundaries of its target market - it knows nothing about target markets.

But there it is: Everyone is alone, for life, and maybe that's not such a bad thing.

I have faith in human beings. I struggle with that faith.

Our stories are what we have,” Our Good Mother says. “Our stories preserve us. we give them to one another. Our stories have value. Do you understand?

It's not that I bounce ideas off of my children as much as it is that having children has had a profound effect on the way I see the world. They have mined my soul. They've made me a better person and therefore a more empathetic writer.

Writers are socially observant. We find people endlessly fascinating, and real life is mysterious. Sometimes it's hard to stop staring at the strut and squawk of my fellow man. They can be quite inspiring. Sometimes it's hard to stop talking to them to see what in the world they're thinking.