At school there were some programs in music. I did take piano lessons, and we had a piano at home. I got very interested in that.

There was a certain amount of discipline, I think; my parents wanted to be sure that I was not just sitting around doing nothing.

It [piano lessons] wasn't a priority, but it was an interest and through that I became acquainted with classical music, which was a main interest at the time.

Great stories happen all around you every day. At the time they’re happening, you don’t think of them as stories. You probably don’t think about them at all. You experience them. You enjoy them. You learn from them. You’re inspired by them. They only become stories if someone is wise enough to share them. That’s when a story is born.

Experience is the best teacher. A compelling story is a close second.

I was there [in school] the full time with one teacher, and the student body was never more than 10 or 12 students of all ages.

Going back to the elementary school days, I was always drawing. I entered a Victory poster competition and won the top award that recognized my artistic instincts.