You are writing the story of your only life every single minute of every day.

That's what just hit me: How you really can't have everything. You have to give up the old to get the new. You can't be the child and the mom at the same time. You can't be your young self and your old self at the same time. You can't know what you know now and feel the way you did then. You can't, you can't, you can't.

I like to write about people who are real and likeable. I like to write about people who tell their stories in that close and intimate voice we use with best friends. I love the closeness and honesty and vulnerability that come from characters who can talk that way.

People are always beautiful when you love them.

Look for beauty in everything.

Something good was happening. My life was rising from the ashes, and the sight of it left me feeling something like hopeful.

In fiction, you can be as true as you want. Real life is a different story.