Many readers know my work first through 'Housekeeping,' simply because it was my only novel for a pretty long time.

My first novel, 'Housekeeping,' was accepted by the first agent who read it, and bought by the first editor who read it. In general, my experience with publication has been gentle and gratifying.

I've been writing for a long time. I sat down to write my first novel in the middle of March of 1982.

It takes a long time to write a novel when you have to keep interrupting your work to earn money.

I come from a pretty tough background and I learned a long time ago not to be bothered.

It's just not right that so many things don't work when they should. I don't think that will change for a long time.