It is a bad thing to have love and nowhere to put it.

Love!' said the princess. She stamped her foot. 'Why must everyone always speak of love?

It seems to be that way with most things. No one to do the really disagreeable jobs except oneself.

It distresses me that parents insist that their children read or make them read. I think the best way for children to treasure reading is for them to see the adults in their lives reading for their own pleasure.

The funny thing is, when I've gone through the relentless editing process, my editor and I are amazed the Mercy Watson books still make us laugh. The same jokes that made us laugh the first time around still make us laugh in the 16th rendition.

As far as books getting turned into movies, I fared very, very well.

And hope is like love...a ridiculous, wonderful, powerful thing.