In medieval Europe, childbirth was a leading cause of death. So widowed fathers with children were quite common, meaning stepmothers were equally common.

In Japan, it's strange to openly take credit for giving to charity or even to donate publicly.

Historical atrocities have certainly shown that dehumanizing any group is the first step toward genocide.

I can't say I'm anything like a devoted animal rights activist, but I certainly oppose cruelty to animals.

Since I tend to write chronologically, the middle is always the place where the process is most taxing.

If some readers take away the idea that animals deserve better treatment in general, then I certainly won't argue.

I believe actual violence scars children much more than violence in storybooks.