It's now expected of me that I will defy expectation, so I really generally seem to be free to write what I want.

I try not to become too regular an addict of any one subculture.

I never take any notes or draw charts or make elaborate diagrams, but I hold an image of the shape of a book in my head and work from that mental hologram.

I've never related to the work geek at all-it sounds much more horrible than nerd. Like a freak biting a chicken's head off in a sideshow.

I learned to write fiction the way I learned to read fiction - by skipping the parts that bored me.

Someday I would change my name to Shut Up and save everybody a lot of time.

I work on a laptop specifically so I can work in cafes and pretend I'm part of the human world.

What age is a black boy when he learns he's scary?

It was only as I wrote about fear that I began to find paths of access to feelings that were intolerable to me then.

I want what we all want," said Carl. "To move certain parts of the interior of myself into the exterior world, to see if they can be embraced.

I can't bear the silent ringing in my skull.

Never does Nature say one thing and Wisdom another.

Historical exclusivity often has a way of turning into present and institutionalized tragedy. Whose story gets told matters.

Don't be afraid to see what you see.

What kind of man can name a child Moon Unit?

It is part of me; I could definitely be that if I wanted to, I just choose not to. I mean, I am an actress at my core, and I think we're all a little crazy.

You might encounter defeats but you must never be defeated... Love a lot. Laugh a lot at the silliest things and be very serious... love life.

Faith and optimism come from love.

The more you populate the 360-degree space, the more difficult it is to cut within that.

Physical exercise makes you more graceful. After some gymnasitics you walk as if the whole street is yours.

I ask people who don't fly, "How can you not fly when you live in a time in history when you can fly?"