At least in my case, a very simple, regular, happy life makes for better writing.

As a person, I do ascribe to a lot of magical thinking myself.

I see history as really cyclical in terms of the intense idealism, and the desire to create a better life outside of societal norms.

If there's a black cat that crosses the street in my path, I will turn around and walk 20 minutes out of my way to not cross it.

My childhood was as conventional as you could get.

But I've married a deeply sensible person who is extremely good at talking me down from my various ledges, and who takes care of me in a billion ways.

I have a feeling that books are a lot like people - they change as you age, so that some books that you hated in high school will strike you with the force of a revelation when you're older.

Sometimes I read a biography of some tempestuous artist and find myself longing for fireworks! booze! bloody fights!; I do think that life must be so much more thrilling when you're actively miserable.

The darkest period of my life, so far, arrived the summer I was pregnant with my eldest son. The future was growing in me with all of its terrifying unpredictability, and I found myself anxious, unable to work and woefully at sea.