I grew up in a house that had a whole lot of trouble. As much trouble as you could imagine.

The happy ending is hardly important, though we may be glad its there. The real joy is knowing that if you felt the trouble in the story, your kingdom isnt dead.

I used to live a very social life and never spend much solitary time looking at birds or reading.

The thing that really struck me when I went to junior high was class. I grew up on a pretty poor street, but the school district I was in included some fine neighborhoods - so I got to know a couple of the kids from those places and went to their houses and experienced such culture shock.

What year is it in your imagination?

The histories of vampires and people are not so different, really. How many of us can honestly see our own reflection?

I do love to eavesdrop. It's inspirational, not only for subject matter but for actual dialogue, the way people talk.