I've heard a lot of great success stories from writers - how so many of them struggled to get where they are and how persistence pays off. I learned that some writers are good at doing readings and some are not so good at it.

I've always tried to keep my cover prices on the low side. I'm more interested in getting people to read the books we publish and less interested in the profit margin.

I learned that you have to respect how much time and work a writer has put into their book. I always give the writer I'm publishing a good deal of control in shaping the book and figuring out how it looks, but I'll make suggestions on how to make it stronger.

There are definitely some tricks and techniques to a good reading. Rewarding the audience that shows up to your reading is very important and you can't be boring or ungrateful.

Lore is my favorite kind of story. Because it's not only historical, it's a lie everyone knows is a lie but tells anyway. I love that. Of course every story I tell is true. Completely true. Completely and utterly at least five-eighths of the way to being true, which is truer than any piece of lore and truer than most truths you'll hear.

One thing that is sometimes forgotten in this future of books discussion is that there are all these awesome presses - big and small - that are producing and designing amazing books.

I have a very positive outlook on things. It's hard to predict how actual books are going to do but I'm not freaked out about ebooks taking over. I think there are probably more active readers now because of computers and iPhones.

I sometimes wonder if what I create as a writer will leave any sort of dent. There's really no way of knowing, so I just have to keep going.

One thing I discovered is that the book world is vast. It's easy to walk around the store - even the room with literature and poetry, where I work most often - and feel overwhelmed.

I think a lot of awesome stuff is coming out with smaller presses. Small presses don't have to have huge board meetings to talk about how to market their books or what to publish - they can take more chances. They can help new authors grow in a healthier, often more artistic way.

I wonder what the difference between love and control is, but I'm afraid to look those words up in a dictionary.

I see a lot of writers who complain when their book doesn't sell and the reason that happens sometimes, is they don't know how to publicize or promote themselves. A writer is more successful when they're involved in their literary community somehow. It's very easy for an author's book to fade away if they don't get out in public and meet people.

Read as much as you write. Go out and meet other writers. Look for stories in everything around you - music, movies, family, strangers, your bus ride to work, and of course the streets. Also - keep moving forward, keep creating new things. Leave evidence of yourself in this world. Imagine what your legacy could be and try to create it.

I think one thing I've learned, as dorky and obvious as this sounds: People who like cool books are usually really cool people.