We have not been energetic enough - white people haven't - in pursuing racial equity.

I tend to foster drama via bleakness. If I want the reader to feel sympathy for a character, I cleave the character in half, on his birthday. And then it starts raining. And he's made of sugar.

What I regret most in my life are failures of kindness.

What I regret most in my life are failures of kindness. Those moments when another human being was there, in front of me, suffering, and I responded . . . sensibly. Reservedly. Mildly.

Do those things that incline you toward the big questions, and avoid the things that would reduce you and make you trivial.

Developing our sympathetic compassion is not only possible but the only reason for us to be here on earth.

According to me, your life is going to be a gradual process of becoming kinder and more loving. Hurry up. Speed it along. Start right now.

It's a big world, and I really like it.

Character is that sum total of moments we can't explain.

The generalizing writer is like the passionate drunk, stumbling into your house mumbling: I know I'm not being clear, exactly, but don't you kind of feel what I'm feeling?

Kindness, it turns out, is hard - it starts out all rainbows and puppy dogs, and expands to include . . . well, EVERYTHING.

I miss the days when I was alone with my characters and no one else knew them except me.

White. Like a clean piece of paper, like uncarved ivory, all is white when the story begins.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, was above corruption so long as human beings were involved.

An act of love, a voluntary taking on oneself of some of the pain of the world, increases the courage and love and hope of all.

I don't want anybody to not recognize how appreciative I am of the volume of e-mails I get.

I don't want to know anything about your system of ethics. Strength is the morality of the man who stands out from the rest, and it is mine.

Jesus took His flesh from the flesh of Mary

All think what other people think; All know the man their neighbor knows. Lord, what would they say Did their Catullus walk that way?

All affectation; 'tis my perfect scorn; Object of my implacable disgust.

Shake It Up definitely teaches kids about the importance of reaching for your dreams and setting high goals. It also teaches great lessons about friendship and family.