I got nice rejections explaining that historical fiction was a difficult sell. But I kept trying.

Since 1985, I have written about contemporary Jewish practice and the Jewish community.

The Sabbath is a weekly cathedral raised up in my dining room, in my family, in my heart.

Why did I not know that birth is the pinnacle where women discover the courage to become mothers?

The painful things seemed like knots on a beautiful necklace, necessary for keeping the beads in place.

The more a daughter knows the details of her mother's life [...] the stronger the daughter.

One of his tears fell in my mouth, where it became a blue sapphire, source of strength, source of strength and eternal hope.

I tell writers to keep reading, reading, reading. Read widely and deeply. And I tell them not to give up even after getting rejection letters. And only write what you love.

My husband, Jim, converted to Judaism just before our wedding.

One of my great secrets was knowing I had the power to make her smile.

The more I do bookstores, the more people come up to me from church groups. I spoke at Pittsburg State College and had 2 or 3 ministers and book groups from a couple of churches.

Writing is the most fun you can have by yourself.

I graduated a the top of my class in the '84 Olympic Games I won a gold medal.

There's just something about being English. When you travel the world you feel more grateful.

It has not escaped our notice that the specific pairing we have postulated immediately suggests a possible copying mechanism for the genetic material.

You just have this freedom when you're younger - this lack of concern to fail or do anything wrong. It comes with an ease that I've found has kind of deteriorated over time.

Kill me. If you’ve ever been my friend, kill me.

Islamophobia is a complex phenomenon.

I don't think something is a failure if you put your all into it. I'm a big fan of the saying, "Nothing beats a failure but a try."

Turning corporations loose and letting the profit motive run amok is not a prescription for a more livable world.

Fans will treat something preciously if they're given the opportunity to do so.