I like that there's no love as fierce as the love you feel for your family; that there's no one you feel more protective of than the very same people who can drive you crazy.

I love the Bronte sisters, but I feel a closer kinship to the Ephron sisters, Nora and Delia, if only because their work makes me laugh more than the Brontes. I also love the Mitford sisters with their secret language and their endless letters back and forth.

What's not to love about a crazy cat lady? You have to be very giving to be a crazy cat lady.

The older I get, the more I appreciate the idea of being thrown together with a group of people you might have a lot in common with, or nothing at all. You don't have the option of doing anything other than making your family relationships work - forever. I like that.

'The Simpsons' is about alienation and the ambivalence of living with a family who you love but who drive you completely crazy.

I like to take writing retreats within a day's drive of home. Less travel time means more time for writing, which is the name of the game here.