A man must fill his life with meaning, meaning is not automatically given to life. It is hard work to fill one's life with meaning.

If people knew how hard I worked at my art, they would not consider me a genius.

Life is like the blink of an eye. What is that worth? Nothing. But the eye that blinks - that is something. I guess I blinked, on accident. Sometimes, though, I have found accidents to be the most fortuitous events in my life. You meet the one person who reminds you what you are, what you do, how to be happy.

To the extent that I come from a deeply religious tradition and have been contending with those beginnings all of my life - that constitutes the subject of much of my early fiction.

Something that is yours forever is never precious

Everyone who has achieved financial independence will tell you that at least in the early days you have to work smarter and harder. The price of success must be paid in full, and it must be paid in advance. There are no shortcuts.