Never relinquish your terrors. That's when they catch you.

Ive tried to avoid labels, but they always find you.

If you find yourself imitating another writer, that doesn't have to be a bad thing, especially if you are a young or a new writer. However, you should be conscious of exactly how you are imitating him - word choice, sentence structure, motifs? - and think about why you're doing it.

I like visiting peoples homes on Saint Josephs Day, when people set up altars, serve food as a tribute to the saint, and invite the public - I enjoy that much more than Mardi Gras.

If you're a freelance writer and aren't used to being ignored, neglected, and generally given short shrift, you must not have been in the business very long.

New Orleans cuisine is Creole rather than Cajun.

You hold onto what you have; you do not give it up easily, even when you know it is poisoning you.