Well, I think some people are very happy in retirement. And in a year and a half I'm going to see how happy I feel in retirement. I'm just going to not work quite so hard, but I'll continue to write as long as God gives me breath.

Food is a great way of communicating.

There's nothing trite about being consoled in a world that does everything in its power to deliver sorrow.

Writing is a way of processing our lives. And it can be a way of healing.

I love romantic poetry.

There is nothing glamorous or romantic about war. It's mostly about random pointless death and misery.

The compensation of a very early success is a conviction that life is a romantic matter. In the best sense one stays young.

I'm married to the only woman I've loved, and I'm happy.