Maybe they did what they had to do to live, and tried to get a little love and have a little fun before the darkness took them.

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

Yeah, I think A Confederacy of Dunces is probably the perfect New Orleans book.

I don't think it is possible to give tips for finding one's voice; it's one of those things for which there aren't really any tricks or shortcuts, or even any advice that necessarily translates from writer to writer. All I can tell you is to write as much as possible.

New Orleans cuisine is Creole rather than Cajun.

Maybe they did what they had to do to live, and tried to get a little love and have a little fun before the darkness took them.

My childhood may have been more demented than most, because I learned to read very early and was allowed to read whatever I wanted.