At that moment, she cannot think of a more reckless, irrational thing than choosing to become a parent.

Soon, he would become an adult. And when he did, there would be not going back because adulthood was akin to what his father had once said about being a war hero: one you became one, you died one.

I read actual physical books and have thus far avoided the electronic lure.

Probably the single most commen response I get from my readesr, be it through e-mails or letters, is that they did not know much, or at times, they're quite frank, they didn't care much about Afghanistan. But they pay attention more after reading these novels, and at times it has triggered this humaitarian spirt: some have donated money or at time times, people have joined humatiarian organizations that work in Afghanistan.

The story of what has happened to women in Afghanistan, however, is a very important one, and fertile ground for fiction.

Don't be afraid to tell the truth. It's better to hurt someone by truth than to make them happy by lies.

I have this almost pathological fear of boring the reader.