I love revising. If you demystify the process, it comes down to four strategies: what can I do to make the draft better; what should I cut out to make it stronger; what do I need to do to clarify it; and finally, what should I reposition.

I try to stick with what moves me or teaches me about myself, same thing I hope the novels do for others.

Life is a whoopee cushion, a chair pulled away just as you were taking a seat.

The point is this: that the stream of memory may lead you to the river of understanding. And understanding, in turn, may be a tributary to the river of forgiveness.

Take what people give you. Drink their milkshakes.

Change what you can, accept what you can't, and be smart enough to know the difference

The greatest griefs are silent.