If you're a woman writer, sometime, somewhere, you will be asked: Do you think of yourself as a writer first, or as a woman first? Look out. Whoever asks this hates and fears both writing and women.

And she finds it difficult to believe—that a person would love her even when she isn't trying. Trying to figure out what other people need, trying to be worthy.

The future of narrative? Built in, part of the human template. Not going away. The future of the codex book, with pages and so forth? A platform for transmitting narratives.

Myths can't be translated as they did in their ancient soil. We can only find our own meaning in our own time.

There is so much going on all over the world that it's impossible for one person to keep up. And I can't.

For the children with their greedy little mouths represent the future, which like time itself will devour all now alive.

Every novel is-at the beginning-the same opening of a door onto a completely unknown space.