In its current incarnation in my life touring is a lot of airports and hotels and car services and only OK food.

What's the point of having a book club if you don't get to eat brownies and drink wine?

In the wintertime I like macaroni and cheese.

An ellipsis is a giant ocean of possibilities.

I find that short stories are almost like palate cleansers, or brain cleansers.

You can quit smoking, and never have to have a cigarette again to survive. But with food, it is a daily challenge.

I love doing readings. I could really give a crap about reviews. It's kind of about the readers.

I remember being banned from other houses as a younger child during the winter holiday season; I was the only one who didn't believe in Santa Claus, and I was ruining everyone's Christmas.

I just think structure can make a book feel so much bigger. It's the architecture. You could use flimsy materials if you wanted to, even, but it could still feel big.

In 1998, I started a blog, something I could control very easily and update at my own whim.

I'm not that much of a researcher. I'm good at channeling characters, and I'm good at structure.

Always be lenient with people and keep their privacy, as they can share their problems with you. These steps can help you in making your relationship strong.

To have character is to be big enough to take life on.

I will obey every law, or submit to the penalty.

I'm getting so slow at my work it makes me despair, but... I'm increasingly obsessed by the need to render what I experience, and I'm praying that I'll have a few more good years left to me.

I especially love my Moto Guzzi.

When a person with money meets a person with experience, the person with the experience winds up with the money and the person with the money winds up with the experience.

A boy has two jobs. One is just being a boy. The other is growing up to be a man.

You know how advice is. You only want it if it agrees with what you wanted to do anyway.

I majored in political science, and my concentration was U.S. involvement in Latin America in the 20th century.

common sense is a very tricky instrument; it is as deceptive as it is indispensable.