The first four months of writing the book, my mental image is scratching with my hands through granite. My other image is pushing a train up the mountain, and it's icy, and I'm in bare feet.

Writing is storytelling. No matter how you slice it, you're saying, 'Once upon a time.' That's what writing is all about.

Happines is like mercury. Hard to hold, and when we drop it, it shatters into a million pieces. Maybe the bravest of all are those who have the courage to reach for it again.

live your life as if you may lose everything.

Funny, when you finally faced reality, it was amazing how clearly you could see things.

When a scientist's son or daughter becomes a scientist they'll say Wonderful! Wonderful! So, why, in the name of God, would a mother be jealous to see her daughter become a successful writer?

It's funny how, even long after you've accepted the grief of losing someone you love and truly have gotten on with your life, every once in a while something comes up that plays gotcha, and for a moment or two the scar tissue separates and the wound is raw again.

When someone is mean to me, I just make them a victim in my next book.

The flame of inspiration needs to be encouraged. Put a glass around that small candle and protect it from discouragement or ridicule.

I am a natural optimist but there were times when (it seemed like) I was doing nothing but adding up on the back of envelope what I had to pay this month.

If you want to be happy for life, love what you do.

The truth is I hate cocktail parties when the only person I know is my supposed date, and he abandons me the minute we come in the door.

A library is a path to the future--find yours there.