I actually liked the disolation of winter; it was the season when it was okay to be unhappy. If I were to ever kill myself, I thought it would be in the summer.

Perhaps this is how you know you're doing the thing you're intended to: No matter how slow or how slight your progress, you never feel that it's a waste of time.

Probably I, like a lot of people, became a writer in imitation of or in homage to the books I enjoyed. When you're so captivated by something, you think, could I do that? Hmm, let me try

We all make mistakes, don't we? But if you can't forgive yourself, you'll always be an exile in your own life.

People who think my books are autobiographical, which they're not, credit me with having a much better memory than I do. I do, however, have a powerful imagination

I don't really have special rituals, but I don't try to write fiction unless I have a minimum of a few hours. For me, it takes a while to settle into a mode where I'm truly concentrating

We have to make mistakes, its how we learn compassion for others

I always worried someone would notice me, and then when no one did, I felt lonely.

Obviously the bar is much higher now for a behavior to be scandalous. Social media has really changed the way people live. It's not a new impulse; it's just being enacted in a new way.

I don't think it's shameful to admit that some days your time can be better spent reading than writing.

I have this theory that the likeability question comes up so much more with female characters created by female authors than it does with male characters and male authors

Authors do not choose a story to write, the story chooses us.

Maybe part of find what you wanted was recognizing what you didn't want. Maybe there was hope for me yet.

As soon as laws are necessary for men, they are no longer fit for freedom.

One of these days the dam of Gods mercy will give way to his justice.

The net worth of the 358 richest people in the world was then found to be 'equal to the combined income of the poorest 45 per cent of the worlds population - 2.3 billion people.

Modern life requires us to be more and more flexible in our attire.

Audiences want to see intelligent movies.

We need courage if we are to be faithful to the Gospel.

...gender relationships, which are tough for people to deal with, are key to whether a society orients to domination or partnership in all its relations.

My dad lived till he was 78, my mum was in her 80s, and I've got two uncles who are in their 90s now.