I would say that most of my books are contemporary realistic fiction... a couple, maybe three, fall into the 'historic fiction' category. Science fiction is not a favorite genre of mine, though I have greatly enjoyed some of the work of Ursula LeGuin. I haven't read much science fiction so I don't know other sci-fi authors.

I think I've written 40 books, and none of them have been heavy on action. I'm an introspective person.

Ellen had said that her mother was afraid of the ocean, that it was too cold and too big. The sky was, too, thought Annemarie. The whole world was: too cold, too big. And too cruel.

I was a sidelines child: never class president, never team captain, never the one with the most valentines in my box.

He wept because he was afraid now that he could not save Gabriel. He no longer cared about himself

He wept, and it felt as if the tears were cleansing him, as if his body needed to empty itself.

It's a funny thing about names, how they become a part of someone.