Everyone wants to belong, or be a part of something bigger than themselves, but it's important to follow your heart and be true to yourself in the process.

Guilt is a supreme waste of time and energy.

It's a funny thing - when I'm crazed with work, spending time with my children relaxes me. Yet, at the end of a long weekend with them, the very thing I need to relax is a little work and time away from them!

I try to recognize that there is no such thing as having it all - and it's impossible to be perfect. You just have to let certain things go.

For true downtime, I enjoy going for light runs, having drinks with friends and going to the movies with my husband.

I don't really know why I went to law school.

I have always been drawn to coming-of-age stories and books and movies featuring compelling young characters.

I like to match what I wear to my book jacket - it's a little bit cheesy, but it's my thing.

I really try to focus on my books and readers.

I think it's important to try to be present with whatever it is you're doing. And if you can't be present, take a break.

I try to write about real women, real people - in other words flawed characters.

Well, shoes, bags and clutches are usually my big weaknesses - my husband always laughs when I call them 'investment pieces.'

Writing a teen character is something I wanted to try again for a long time!

A theme in a lot of my books - and in my own life - is making choices that you feel you should make, or what society wants you to make, as opposed to what is truly right for you.

I've always been intrigued by the power of secrets. When is it justifiable to keep them from the ones we love? And does keeping them irrevocably change who we are?

Inevitably I draw on my own relationships when I write, so if I'm writing about a fight between a husband and his wife, of course I'm going to think about a recent fight with my husband. Or if I'm writing about sisters, of course I'm going to think about my sister.

Life is about the gray areas. Things are seldom black and white, even when we wish they were and think they should be, and I like exploring this nuanced terrain.

Often I feel that projects overwhelm us when we look at how many hours are involved until completion. But just getting started is usually not that difficult.