The dead are celebrated. The dead are loved. They give something to the living. Once you put something into the ground, Doctor, you always know where to find it.

When you're in a place, the details you focus on are different than details you focus on when you're writing about it.

Being taken seriously, for a young writer, is a wonderful form of encouragement, but at the same time, I don't think one should ever feel like attempting a kind of artistic endeavor is beyond your scope just because of age or inexperience.

My family lived in Egypt from 1993 to 1996.

Come on, is your heart a sponge or a fist?

I think the mythology of death really ran away with me when I was very young.

We're all entitled to our superstitions.