Parents can ruin children, and sometimes that's a learned behavior. Sometimes you can't blame your parents for it, sometimes you can. I think to me, that's what the whole paradox is, is people that have children that don't even know how to raise them.

I try to create characters that I am fascinated by on some level or intrigued by or can't stand.

Writing is the only place I can be myself and not feel judged.

I'm not trying to be a middle aged centerfold, I just want to look at myself naked and not be disgusted.

I used to get a lot of letters from prisoners. It used to get on my nerves. Especially family members. Everybody's innocent.

I can't stand that - those women in 'Waiting to Exhale' now. I can't stand them. But that's because I'm 53 and not 33. But what they were experiencing at 33, I identified with it.

Few writers are willing to admit writing is autobiographical.