Destiny isn't immutable. You can change your fate. But I'd say the only way to do it is with hard, intelligent work and long-term dedication to a goal.

People of different ethnicities are definitely not of differing species. Biologically speaking, people are people.

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

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

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

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

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