The image I had was very clear, and so in that way The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane began like other books.

Life was so short; so many beautiful things slipped away.

You must be filled with expectancy. You must be awash in hope. You must wonder who will love you, whom you will love next.

The themes in my books, like in life, are about grace and redemption and you never know when they're going to show up and what form they're going to be in. Stories emerge from keeping your heart open to the people that cross in front of you or the dogs or the mice, and their ability to open you up and enrich your life.

Take this squirrel, for instance. Ulysses. Do I believe he can type poetry? Sure, I do believe it. There is much more beauty in the world if I believe such a thing is possible.

The closest I can get to describing what happens is that voices come to me. I feel like I'm accessing something that is deeper and richer than me.

Despereaux marveled at his own bravery. He admired his own defiance. And then, reader, he fainted.