As Far As Young Kids Go, My

If You Jump To Conclusions, You Make Terrible Landings.

I Used To Get A Lot Of Letters From Prisoners. It Used To Get On My Nerves. Especially Family Members. Everybody's Innocent.

I Just Believe That Young People Need To Be Able To Learn How To Write In Their Own Voice. Just Like A Musician, You Pride Yourself On Having Your Own Distinct Sound.

There Is A Price For Popularity. Critics Look For Your Weaknesses, Your Flaws, Anything That Makes The Work Seem Like A Fluke And Not Seem Worthy Of All The Attention It's Getting.

Let Me Put It This Way: When I Read, I Learned The World Was Not As Small As My House. And That Everybody In My Home Town Was Not Representative Of The Way People In The World Were Raised. And That Was What Saved Me.