What do your fans mean to you?
Fans are terrific. They are what allows me to earn a living doing what I love. They won't always agree with me; not every piece will work for every reader; but I'm always interested in what they have to say. I look at a great deal of my writing as something to open or enlarge conversation. We've lost so much of the Art of Conversation over the years -- it's important to practice whenever possible!
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
Writing is how I figure out the world, and I figure out my response to the world. Sometimes that's by embodying the perspective of a character with similar beliefs; sometimes it's by exploring perspectives very different to my own. I'm curious about just about everything, and putting it into words expands my understanding on all levels. If I can help widen the reader's perspective, so much the better. In non-fiction, such as the Topic Workbooks - - hey, I've been around a long time! If I can save someone else time and despair because they can learn from my mistakes, I'm all for it! ;)
Read more of this interview.