I look at some of the great novelists, and I think the reason they are great is that they're telling the truth. The fact is they're using made-up names, made-up people, made-up places, and made-up times, but they're telling the truth about the human being- what we are capable of, what makes us lose, laugh, weep, fall down, and gnash our teeth and wring our hands and kill each other and love each other.

Grace is like a lake of drinkable water right outside your door. But you stay inside and die of thirst.

In Stamps the segregation was so complete that most Black children didn't really, absolutely know what whites looked like.

I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels.

I think the more we know the better we are. I mean not just facts. The more we know about each other, the closer we are to learn something about our selves.

Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.

Because of our routines we forget that life is an ongoing adventure.