Yes, my kids come first, but as a parent I need to come to them with a fresh mind. I can't be too exhausted or too tired. And I am a better parent when I have more energy.

From my experience, forgiving is the only way to survive.

When you say you're 40, you can't call yourself an ingenue any more.

I felt all the things that other teenagers felt. I was insecure in lots of ways, over-confident in others. I was very emotional. Excitable.

I can't believe I gave my panties to a geek.

I don't have control over how people choose to perceive me. The only thing I have control over is my writing.

If you leave home for a while ... you question the conventional wisdom you've grown up with. That doesn't mean you have to change your opinions or who you are, but it's good to ask the questions.