I had written about a small hamlet upstate, and had been called into a meeting about my story, which, as it turned out, had upset a lot of people.

I'm suspicious of epiphanies, because they so rarely last.

My characters tend, if wounded, to be emotionally resourceful. Often they're in that way station between when loss happens and when it can be fully comprehended. In the meantime they're fighting to get something back, and occasionally they prevail in surprising ways.

I think writers tend to hear a different message from the ones our friends and acquaintances intend. We see what's revealed, which makes us dangerous.

When I teach, I try to assign writers from whom I can learn.

Susan Rebecca White has a keen sense for how her characters talk and think. An impressive debut.

I think narrators expect a high level of intimacy with their readers, and vice versa.