Parents spend a lot of time talking over kids. My son went through a vocabulary burst as I was writing The Bear. I thought, What if I just stopped and listened?

The feat of surviving is directly related to the capacity of the survivor.

I was haunted by a bear attack that happened in Algonquin Park in 1991. The problem was that I dont believe in ghosts, so that ruled out an exorcism. My other choice was to start writing.

I would get a lot of writing done if I lived in isolation in a cave under a swamp.

The body needs food, warmth and water, but your heart needs more.

A young woman hiking alone in the mountains sounds dangerous. In the pre-cell phone era maybe it was, but Ill stop short of calling it foolish.

How do you solve a mystery? How do you write a book? The techniques for starting both are surprisingly similar. Find an intriguing question and, pen and dagger tucked under cloak, search for clues.

I love the Internet, and I love wasting time on the Internet - even though it sometimes ends up being not being a waste of time.

I like situations that push a character to the edge.

I respect myself and receive joy form all directions.

Rules for navigating the net, Or people will roll their eye Lest you can't roll the R rect: Literally, don´t dink and dive!

What's your name?""Emma Gould, " she said. "What's yours?""Wanted.""By all the girls or just the law?

In worshipping their nationhood men worship themselves and scorn others, and that is no healthy thing.

Rock has always been the devil's music... I believe that rock & roll is dangerous... I feel that we're only heralding something even darker than ourselves.

My ideal reader is somebody who reads my poems out loud.

There is power in corporate fasting and power in corporate praise.

For some reason, we see divorce as a signal of failure, despite the fact that each of us has a right, and an obligation, to rectify any other mistake we make in life.

Sexual harassment on the job is not a problem for virtuous women.

It was nice to be alone, not to have to smile and look pleased; a relief to stare dejectedly out the window at the sheeting rain and let just a few tears escape.