I read letters and journal entries by [Georgia] O'Keeffe (which were infinitely more useful than any critical analysis of her work).

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.

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

I did make several trips to the very wonderful [Georgia] O'Keeffe museum. Besides the art (my favorite paintings are from her Pelvis series) my favorite thing about the museum is the architecture. I love how enormously tall the doors are - it is like going into a church. There is also something home-like about the layout of the museum. I wish I could live there!

I tend to only write productively for one to two hours per day, so there is plenty of time left over for me to work a day job!

Does art play a role in the greater good of society, or does it just promote the satisfaction of the artist? I go back and forth on that question.

Now I am as big of an [ Georgia] O'Keeffe admirer as Ivy [Wilkes] is, but that came through writing the book.