"Any writer worth his salt writes to please himself...It's a self-exploratory operation that is endless. An exorcism of not necessarily his demon, but of his divine discontent."
"As you grow up, always tell the truth, do no harm to others, and don't think you are the most important being on earth. Rich or poor, you then can look anyone in the eye and say, 'I'm probably no better than you, but I'm certainly your equal."
"You rarely win, but sometimes you do."
"Everybody’s gotta learn, nobody’s born knowing."
"You deny them hope... You are telling them that Jesus loves them, but not much."
"I never expected any sort of success with 'Mockingbird'... I sort of hoped someone would like it enough to give me encouragement."