I think of myself as a really happy person.

When it comes time to sit down and write the next book, you're deathly afraid that you're not up to the task. That was certainly the case with me after Snow Falling on Cedars.

The status quo was rote memorization and recitation in classrooms thronged with passive children who were sternly disciplined when they expressed individual needs.

My father is a practicing criminal law attorney in the Seattle area.

At one level you're condemned to the voice you have. But within those confines, you have a certain amount of freedom to range among your possible voices.

There are things in this universe that we cannot control, and then there are the things we can. . . . Let fate, coincidence, and accident conspire; human beings must act on reason.

What some people interpret as brooding melancholy is serenity. I don't feel required to grasp all the time.

accident ruled every corner of the universe except the chambers of the human heart.

There's a certain nostalgia and romance in a place you left.

It's a brooding melancholy that haunts me.

I'm interested in themes that endure from generation to generation.

Humans need to learn the lesson of acceptance when things seem to go awry, know that this is only temporary, your flow of good is assured with acceptance, gratefulness, love and joy. - fairy quote

preemptive strike n.A blow or punch delivered by military aircraft to a target who is suspected of being adverse to one's plot for world domination.

My problem is I'm an addictive personality. I can't have one coffee. I can't eat one piece of chocolate. I can't have a little bit of drugs.

The question of religion in black America is something filmmakers don't want to touch.

I know how easy it is to put your foot in your mouth.

Finding your passion isn't just about careers and money. It's about finding your authentic self. The one you've buried beneath other people's needs.

It's kind of weird, because I look at myself as just a normal person. My friends get rejected all the time, so why shouldn't I? I don't think I'm anything special.

It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else's eyes.

Wouldn't it be good to forget everything even if it's just for tonight? Indulge in pleasure... breathe a sweet poison deep into your lungs.

Personally, I enjoy working about 18 hours a day. Besides the short catnaps I take each day, I average about four to five hours of sleep per night.