When I finished the book [The Dissemblers], I sent it to one billion agents, and got one billion rejections.

The motivation to paint seems more pure, or at least more personal, when the artist is doing it for herself.

Because Ivy [Wilkes] is just starting out as an artist, I wanted to focus on [Georgia] O'Keeffe's experiences when she was just starting out. I suspect there is a difference between being an unknown artist and being a celebrated artist. When nobody knows your work, nobody except you really cares whether or not you paint.

Finally, I found a wonderful agent who wanted to work with me, and she sent it to one billion publishers and received one billion rejections, until I was fortunate enough to be matched up with the Permanent Press.

This was my first novel [The Dissemblers ]. I've never seriously written short stories, and actually find short stories much more intimidating as an art form than novels.

I did take one drawing class in school, but for this book I spent a lot of time talking to painters and asking them silly questions.

Publishing requires a lot of persistence and a fair amount of luck.