Writers' communities are very helpful to writers because it gives them a way to try out their stuff short of publication.

I get my ideas for books from my own kids and sometimes from other children. Often when I am telling stories I will say: I am going to make up a new story.

I tell the stories in front of audiences and wait for something to happen. It's similar to a standup comic doing his schtick for an audience.

Writing is a bit like swimming. You learn writing by doing it and you learn swimming by doing it. Nobody learns how to swim by reading a book about swimming and nobody learns how to write by reading a book about writing. If you want to learn how to write, write a lot and you will get better at it.

I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be.

If you don't remember childhood and you idealize it, you can't write books for kids because they're not real. Kids pick that up.