Not knowing stuff - like how your story ends before you start writing - is the seed of a lot of writer’s block.

Believe in yourself and start achieving your dream. It waits for you on the other side of the publish button.

Honesty makes stories real and characters memorable. From there, taking them to where they need to go will be all the development they need.

You have to put yourself out there as a writer, you can’t play it safe.

Kids are flat-out freaking hilarious if you are paying attention. Not just my kid, but every kid.

Open your soul and put it out there and dare the world to read it, ready to have them stomp on you and laugh, but ready to do it again the next day.

The best part of being a writer is you get to tell people you’re a writer. That’s still considered cool.

Who do I think would appreciate my book?I’m surprised anybody does. Oops, did I say that out loud?

I wasn’t a class clown, because nuns have no sense of humor. They have rulers.

It’s amazing how my mind opens up right when I have to run on the treadmill. I’ve finished three chapters rather than run a mile.

I usually end have one outrageous minor character. He or she says the stuff I wish I had said in real life. Readers will love that character.

the goal is to keep yourself moving, remember? don't linger. don't hover. you are not going to stay.

There is nothing productive about being busy with the wrong plan of action.

So often we try to alter circumstances to suit ourselves instead of letting them alter us.

Happiness is a by-product of an effort to make someone else happy.

I would say that I've been lucky. Being blessed and not really ever giving up.

When horror is associated with what is harmful, evil results, when disgust does, badness.

Why are things as they are and not otherwise?

I wanted to write about Afghanistan before the Soviet war because that is largely a forgotten period in modern Afghan history.

These people hate the United States, not for what we do, but for who we are and what we are.

You can’t answer what I said, so you’re going to talk about my saying it.