These days, people like me who are in the arts are perceived as celebrity writers. That really makes me angry because I expend a great deal of effort and spend an enormous amount of time on my books. And I've been writing now for 35 years.

I think every young girl at some point in her early life wonders what it's like to be a princess. They like the idea of dressing up and the fun of it.

I am a liberated woman. And I do believe if a woman does equal work she should be paid equal money. But personally I am feminine and I do like male authority to lean on.

I'm thrilled in a way because musicals should be preserved. It's mostly unique to America, and they give us so much joy.

When I start to write, I see my stories as a kind of movie. For instance, I ask myself, "What kind of opening do I want for this book?"

For me, singing was always about the lyrics. I'm hopeless at singing songs that don't have a core.

As a rule, my focus is on classical music, but I love jazz. I love everything, actually.