From a building right in front of my windows, I can observe the speed of the sunrises and sunsets. The voices of children playing, laughing, yelling, and crying on the playground crawl up to the eighth floor, where I write. Their voices sound so innocent from a distance.

I am a writer who has a policy to allocate 90 percent of my time for research and the remaining 10 percent to write.

I think writers of memoirs need to be respected for the bold decision they take to bare their lives open. That alone should be enough. The things I write about, if you notice, are sensitive issues for a lot of people. If I told you my age, they would get ideas. The next thing you know they'll be filing lawsuits against me.

I write with as much objectivity as I can.

When I write, I can become this ecstatic, crazy fellow, hearing the voices and just loosening up and letting them grow.

When I write, I can shake off all my cares.