I think my biggest problem, though, at least in drafts, is not repeating myself. After eight books I get worried that a character or piece of dialog might be too much like something I've already done. So it's a challenge to keep it fresh.

D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, Austin... and you. I'll be there soon.

Grief can be a burden, but also an anchor. You get used to the weight, how it holds you in place.

Some writers pick a topic and write around that, but I like to include it all.

I took his wildness from him and tried to fold it into myself, filling up the empty spaces all those second place finishes left behind.

After everything that happened, how could I miss him? But I did, I did.

Every book teaches me something about my process, and they are all challenging in one way or another.