Once I have the idea for a story. I start collecting all kinds of helpful information and storing it in three-ring notebooks. For example, I may see a picture of a man in a magazine and say, 'That's exactly what the father in my book looks like!'...I save everything that will help--maps, articles, hand-jotted notes, bits of dialogue from conversations that I overhear.

The Three Cs, I told myself. When you're not Comfortable with it, it's not a Compliment, it's Creepy.

I can never understand why people who have not seen me for a while ask if I am still writing. They might as well ask me if I am still breathing.

I used to think that when I grew up there wouldn't be so many rules. Back in elementary school there were rules about what entrance you used in the morning, what door you used going home, when you could talk in the library, how many paper towels you could use in the rest room, and how many drinks of water you could get during recess. And there was always somebody watching to make sure. What I'm finding out about growing older is that there are just as many rules about lots of things, but there's nobody watching.

Happiness is wanting what you have.

You don't have to be part of a couple to be happy, you know.

There were so many of these moments that could never be captured accurately, even in the camcorder, only in the heart.