Many times in my life I've been upset about something and said to myself, "Will this matter in two years?" Not even in two months.

I have no special talent, you know. I never took a writing course before I began to write.

Do you all have a living room floor or a bedroom floor? Then you can write a book.

Outside of family, writing is essential. To me, it's like breathing.

I cannot outline. I do not know what the next thing is going to happen in the book until it comes out of my fingers.

Sometimes when I visit schools, kids will interview me for the school newspaper. They ask me questions and my answers tend to go on and on, and they try to write down everything I'm saying as quickly as they can. And one day, a kid holds up her hand and said, 'Do you think you could just answer 'yes' or 'no?' Aren't kids wonderful?

The reasons kids get into trouble in one way or another is because - Who ever told them they were special?