The importance and influence of books on me has been cumulative: the result of hearing and reading lots of stories about interesting people and places.

Don't call 'em dogs. Dogs are loyal and they run after balls.

The young women in my classes are feisty and clever and believe, often with the passion of youthful optimism, that feminism is a battle already won. I worry for them - and for my daughters, too.

I could write an entertaining novel about rejection slips, but I fear it would be overly long.

The importance and influence of books on me has been cumulative: the result of hearing and reading lots of stories about interesting people and places.

When I was a child and teenager I read whenever I had the opportunity, but since then I've found it hard to read as much as I'd like, children, work, and pets all providing powerful incentives to escape into a book and a practical reason why I rarely do so.

Sometimes I like to play the soundtracks to famous musicals so we can all sing along. South Pacific is one of my favorites. Our neighbors must hate us.