The only thing that kept me going was stories. Stories are hope. They take you out of yourself for a bit, and when you get dropped back in, you're different- you're stronger, you've seen more, you've felt more. Stories are like spiritual currency.

The cat wrinkled its nose and managed to look unimpressed. "Calling cats," it confided, "tends to be a rather overrated activity. Might as well call a whirlwind.

Some of the things are the same no matter which world you're in, kid. One of 'em is this: The quickest way out of something is usually straight through it.

I started writing when I was about 20, 21 maybe.

If he didn't care about you, you couldn't upset him.

A short story is the ultimate close-up magic trick -- a couple of thousand words to take you around the universe or break your heart.

The current total of countries in the world with First Amendments is one. You have guaranteed freedom of speech. Other countries don't have that.