It's like the human race has been programmed for misery.

They both seemed to understand that describing it was beyond their powers, the gratitude that spreads through your body when a burden gets lifted, and the sense of homecoming that follows, when you suddenly remember what it feels like to be yourself.

If anything, he seemed a little lonely, all too ready to open his heart at the slightest sign of interst.

My wife and I left New York when she got pregnant - we just thought it would be really hard to stay in the city.

I don't really distinguish between sympathy and honesty when I'm writing. The two go together - I'm interested in inhabiting my characters, seeing the world through their eyes.

My mythic version of America is very much about parents and children, and in my experience, the suburban setting is where that particular drama plays out. Which isn't to say that there aren't parents and children in cities or on farms. I just don't know them.

My novels are certainly more exciting than my own life.