I just believe that young people need to be able to learn how to write in their own voice. Just like a musician, you pride yourself on having your own distinct sound.

We never thought some guy would deliberately fill our hearts with brown sugar and then pour hot water all over it.

Why is it that if you happen to be black and over six feet tall, everybody thinks you supposed to play basketball or football?

You know, one of my fears about living alone so long is that you get used to doing everything your own way.

It's amazing how we can make ourselves believe what we want to.

There is a price for popularity. Critics look for your weaknesses, your flaws, anything that makes the work seem like a fluke and not seem worthy of all the attention it's getting.

Being a lifetime wife and mother has afforded me the luxury of having multiple careers: I've been a teacher. A chauffeur. A chef. An interior decorator. A landscape architect, as well as a gardener. I’ve been a painter. A personal shopper. An accountant and a banker. I’ve been a beautician. Santa Claus. The Tooth Fairy. A movie reviewer. A nurse. A psychologist. A negotiator. An I have a Ph. D in How to Pretend Like You Don’t Mind.