It was one of those winter days that suddenly dream of spring, when the sky is blue and soft and clear, and the wind has dropped its voice and whispers instead of screaming, and the sun is out and the trees look surprised, and over everything there is the faintest, palest tint of green.

We eat the year away. We eat the spring and the summer and the fall. We wait for something to grow and then we eat it.

I never was a person who wanted a handout. I was a cafeteria worker. I'm not too proud to ask the Best Western manager to give me a job. I have cleaned homes.

I can't help it when people are frightened," says Merricat. "I always want to frighten them more.

I very much dislike writing about myself or my work, and when pressed for autobiographical material can only give a bare chronological outline which contains no pertinent facts.

Am I walking toward something I should be running away from?

So long as you write it away regularly nothing can really hurt you.