Life Is The First Gift, Love Is

The Sense Of Being Jewish Never Left Me, But When My Grandmother Died, I Rebelled Against Judaism As I Knew It Then, Which Was Orthodox. I Saw The Rituals, A Lot Of Them, As Very Male, For A Long Time.

I Think Having A Great Range Of Experiences In My Life Had Helped Me As A Writer, Particularly A Writer Of Fiction. I Have Known A Great Many Different Sorts Of People In Different Situations, And I Have A Notion How Very Well Of Badly People Can Behave In Times Of Stress Or Danger Or Violence.

The Real Writer Is One Who Really Writes. Talent Is An Invention Like Phlogiston After The Fact Of Fire. Work Is Its Own Cure. You Have To Like It Better Than Being Loved.

My Idea Of Hell Is To Be Young Again.

Sometimes When A Character In A Novel Is Difficult For Me To Enter, I Sue Something In Myself Or In My Own Life As A Doorway Into That Character's Mind And Emotions.