My family is really, really Southern - I had two uncle Bubbas, and grandparents that we called Big Mama and Big Daddy.

It's very different to have this kid that I'm truly responsible for.

it's smarter to be lucky than it's lucky to be smart.

Would-be novelists need to bring equal parts arrogance and ignorance to the task before them. The arrogance is almost self-explanatory. Walk into any bookstore or library, calculate how many lifetimes the average person would need to read all the fiction contained therein. To think that one has anything to contribute, to any genre or tradition, takes genuine hubris.

I'm a morning person, which is a hideous thing to be. No one likes morning people, not even other morning people.

I carry in my datebook a piece of paper that my mother copied out for me, from the 1840 Census. Hardy Callaway Culver of Hancock County, Georgia, had 42 slaves, 31 "employed in agriculture." Culver was my great-great-great grandfather. I carry this piece of paper with me every day because I don't want to forget. I don't know what to do with the information, but I don't want to forget it.

I adore the work of Stephen Sondheim. I like musicales in general. They make surprisingly great running tapes.