Kittredge had obviously misjudged her, but he had learned that was the way with most people. The story was never the story, and it surprised you, how much another person could carry.

I'm an ecumenical reader, grew up with all sorts of fiction, teach writing, went to the Iowa Writers' Workshop, so my tastes and interests are broad.

You learn to write by reading, and my experiences and tastes as a reader are pretty wide.

Even on the darkest night, my friend, life will have its way.

My rule has always been, write the next part of the book that you seem to know well. So I won't necessarily write chapter two after chapter one.

It had never occurred to her that God would cry, but of course that was wrong. God would be crying all the time. He would cry and cry and never stop.

I was a 'Planet of the Apes'-obsessed kid.