I am just always, always paying attention - waiting for the words, or image, or name that will be the beginning of a story.

The shapes arranged themselves into words, and the words spelled out a delicious and wonderful phrase: Once upon a time.

You are down there alone, the stars seemed to say to him. And we are up here, in our constellations, together.

Mercy Watson is a pig. She lives with Mr. and Mrs. Watson, who are not pigs. I had that basic premise, but I couldn't make it work. I would come back to it, try it, see that I was failing, and put it aside.

You can always trust a dog that likes peanut butter.

Mercy Watson is obsessed with toast. What was blocking me was the challenge of trying to understand what she loves, what motivates her. That was the missing piece. Toast became the physical symbol of Mercy's hopefully endearing greed and obsession. Without that element in place, it didn't make sense.

Minnesota has been so good to me and so pleased that I love Minnesota.