Ironically, writing a novel is not a way to sort out your confusion.

Perhaps this is how you know you're doing the thing you're intended to: No matter how slow or how slight your progress, you never feel that it's a waste of time.

Probably I, like a lot of people, became a writer in imitation of or in homage to the books I enjoyed. When you're so captivated by something, you think, could I do that? Hmm, let me try

We all make mistakes, don't we? But if you can't forgive yourself, you'll always be an exile in your own life.

People who think my books are autobiographical, which they're not, credit me with having a much better memory than I do. I do, however, have a powerful imagination

I don't really have special rituals, but I don't try to write fiction unless I have a minimum of a few hours. For me, it takes a while to settle into a mode where I'm truly concentrating

We have to make mistakes, its how we learn compassion for others

I always worried someone would notice me, and then when no one did, I felt lonely.

Obviously the bar is much higher now for a behavior to be scandalous. Social media has really changed the way people live. It's not a new impulse; it's just being enacted in a new way.

I don't think it's shameful to admit that some days your time can be better spent reading than writing.

I have this theory that the likeability question comes up so much more with female characters created by female authors than it does with male characters and male authors

Frankie, " she said softly, "do you know what my idea of heaven is? A place where the windows are always clean, and the people I want can always come to dinner.

I believe in miracles.

106 & Park, Freestyle Friday, that was real pivotal. I feel like he has the right to do that, he comes from that era so he has the right to do that.

The moral of the story is this: sometimes, to do nothing, to do nothing at all, is the sorriest thing ever.

I am not sick. I am broken. But I am happy as long as I can paint.

Disco was like the celebration of music through dance and my God! When you heard the music sometimes it was like, if you don't get up and dance, you aren't human!

When the fire goes out, you'll start feeling the cold. You'll wake up whether you want to or not.

Honesty - however dangerous - should be as valuable as radium it seems to me.

I played at Georgia, I coached at Alabama. I know how to beat both of them.

You live in a country that makes it harder to raise children than any other country in the world. You vote for me and I'll give you family values.