Surprise keeps the reader awake. The only alternative is to continue saying what the reader is expecting. What fun is that?

Negative space is important. When I teach students to read critically I advise them to look for what the author isn't saying just as carefully as for what he or she is.

Whenever I do a comedy show I still just read poems, some of which are intentionally funny and some of which are just bizarre. The mix seems to work well.

Writing essays and teaching composition have helped me immensely in writing poetry, because they've forced me to focus on the structure of ideas.

After the first few readings in comedy venues I did begin to write for laughs. There's something so gratifying about stimulating laughter.

I don't really want to write fiction at all. I don't see why fiction is necessary when we have real life already confusing enough.

Poetry is a way for me to explore a tingly feeling, to let it play itself out, and also to map it. I feel like I'm making little star maps when I write poems.

The brands with which we surround ourselves prop us up, make us feel sexy and beautiful, when in reality we're pretty dumpy creatures.

Isabel had gone silent in a way that shouted the silence to me.

Placing blame was easier than adding up the mounting figures of what he'd lost.

There are more glorious days ahead, this should be your joy for today.

I'm not very technically minded. I mean, I don't know how to do e-mail on computers.

I want to entertain people. That's my whole life. To my last breath.

We protect aspirin bottles in this country better than we protect guns from accidents by children.

I always believed, right from the beginning, if you're going to do something, do it the best. If you're going to work, you want to enjoy it-make a product that you really enjoy selling or owning.

Entrepreneurship is a life idea, not a strictly business one; a global idea, not a strictly American one.

Women have different characteristics and needs than men do.

Every study on crime and or firearms proves time and time again, that 99.99999% of American gun owners do not commit crimes or use our firearms in any dangerous or improper way.