You must be unintimidated by your own thoughts because if you write with someone looking over you shoulder, you'll never write.

We love because it's the only true adventure.

A lot of people refuse to do things because they don't want to go naked, don't want to go without guarantee. But that's what's got to happen. You go naked until you die.

Most of my books are a two-year project. I tend to follow my heart and my mind and research materials where they take me.

I used to go up to her house. She lived upstate [in New York] and I lived in Manhattan; you're living in a lot of noise and my career was being built. For me to spend time with Nina [Simone] is to spend a lot of quiet time.

I am a huge fan of the Black woman. I never hesitate to recommend her when times are bad or things go wrong.

You must be unintimidated by your own thoughts because if you write with someone looking over you shoulder, you'll never write.