You have to remember that writing itself is so solitary. You start writing because you're lonely.

When I was writing Caramelo the last couple of years, a sixty-hour work week was normal. And now I'm lucky if I have eight hours.

You don't have to be the specialist on everything. You can try to inform yourself.

I've come to some balance now and calmness. If anything happened to me and I got hit by a bus - I hope this doesn't happen, but if something happened - my body of work is something I could rest on. I don't feel, "Oh God, I have to hurry up . . ."

Some people need flowers, some people need dandelions. It's medicine, it's what you need at that time in your life.

One press account said I was an overnight success. I thought that was the longest night I've ever spent.

If you're poor, potato chips are the food of life for you. It's the caviar.