I thought I’d been condescended to as an Indian - that was nothing compared to the condescension for writing Y.A.

I don't have to participate in another culture's ceremonies in order to respect that culture.

I think all of us are always five years old in the presence and absence of our parents.

Drinking would shut down my seeing and my hearing and my feeling," she used to say. "Why would I want to be in the world if I couldn't touch the world with all of my senses intact?

A lot of native culture has been destroyed. So you already feel lost inside your culture. And then you add up feeling lost and insignificant inside the larger culture. So you end up feeling lost squared. And to never be recognized, to never have any power, you know, other minority communities actually have a lot of economic, cultural power.

If I were a doctor nobody would be inviting me to talk to reservations. I'd be a different person. Writers can influence more people.

Pain is never added to pain. It multiplies.