Love is understood, in a historical way, as one of the great human vocations – but its counter-spell has always been infidelity. This terrible, terrible betrayal that can tear apart not only another person, not only oneself, but whole families.

If we do not begin to practice the muscles of having a possessive investment in each other's oppressions, then we are in some serious trouble.

We know story collections end when they end, as well – the pages serving as a countdown – but nevertheless the standard story anthology hews closer to what makes being human so hard: it reminds you with each story how quickly everything we are, everything we call our lives can change, can be upended, can disappear. Never to return.

Nothing more exhilarating ... than saving yourself by the simple act of waking.

She's applying her lipstick; I've always believed that the universe invented the color red solely for latinas.

Love is understood, in a historical way, as one of the great human vocations-but its counterspell has always been infidelity. This terrible, terrible betrayal that can tear apart not only another person, not only oneself, but whole families.

Sometimes you just have to try, even if you know it won't work.

When I write, what I long for is not more realism or fiction but more courage. That's what I always find myself short on and what I have to struggle to achieve in order that the work might live.

Genre might certainly increase some of your narrative freedoms, but it also diminishes others. That's the nature of genre.

We get so many people saying short fiction is not economical, that it doesn't sell; but there are so many of us enjoying writing it and reading it. So it's wonderful to be around people who love short fiction too - it's like hanging around with my tribe.