Female friendship was one-tenth prevention and nine-tenths cleanup.

How strange it was that a dream, once realized, could quickly turn mundane.

I think the posture of confidence can serve you well. I'm not sure what's to be gained by sitting at your computer and beating yourself up.

Novels definitely come more naturally to me. When I write short stories, it's always a fight against it expanding.

I think I'm someone who can prattle on a long time about something, which serves me well as a novelist, but it's the enemy when I'm writing short stories.

If you get discouraged about a section of a novel, that can be more catastrophic than getting discouraged about an individual story.

I, the lone inhabitant of my body and life, am inescapably large to myself, but also ridiculously, inconceivably small.

The only relevance worth to pursue, is living your passion through your interests.

It is never crowded at the mountaintop.

When you're appeasing too much, you might be egotistically over-estimating everyone's need for your approval.

State: 'It's a pleasure to be here' and offer a cup of coffee.

Women are the sustaining force of any society - they think of the children and the next generation's chances.

Style, after all, rather than thought, is the immortal thing in literature.

I'm a sucker for a man who giggles-not a high-pitched serial-killer sort of giggle, but a lighthearted laugh.

Never look down on anybody unless you're helping him up.

Many years later, a psychiatrist friend of mine said something to us. He said, "Respect denial." It's a powerful force.

Better not to give in to it.