# Interviews

I remember the intense emotionality of that day—there wasn't a dry eye in the room.

... the “big break” often comes in the form of smaller, sometimes imperceptible “micro breaks.” It’s a mistake to overlook those.

If he wasn’t an addict and a gambler, there could never have been the triumphs. But even more than that—he was in love with two women at once—and yes, I could have played that down, but I found that fascinating and something that was real and messy and complicated and worth exploring.

Arts and Minds provides an opportunity for genuine connection, unapologetic self-expression, and reflection.

If you’re a filmmaker, you’re either creating content or over in the corner crying.

"I think this is an opportunity for people with disabilities and allies to demand better."

I don’t mind when people fail. If someone has a really good joke that failed, and they come back next week and they worked on it and it’s better, I can see that they saw the failure, and they know how to learn from it.

Our stories reveal our humanity. They peel back the layers of the titles we hold—mom, aunt, etc.—and remind others that underneath those layers, we’re all just people.

Research awakened me to the vast array of knowledge contained not only in books and the internet, but also in the people around us, and reminding me how much there is to learn about the world in which we live.

Writing multiple POVs drove me crazy at times ... I wrote Mary in first person because I wanted readers to feel an intimacy with her, and I thought it would help them connect to her as an outsider.

Kids are very aware of what’s going on around them. And I think they want to escape into worlds that ultimately make sense, regardless of the offbeat concepts or quirks that define those worlds.

The working-class is what I know, and they’re almost always at the heart of the stories I tell. As for why we’re not hearing enough about them—I don’t know. Superheroes are overqualified for the jobs out here.

"I’ve become, like many of my peers, frustrated with the machinations of getting a film made in Hollywood ... I’m only interested in work that speaks to me on a very personal and intimate level.’’

I hope this story offers readers some kind of kindling—for warmth, or to stir some hidden fire. Mostly, I hope this story helps someone reclaim their own skin—whatever that means to them.

I really relish just wallowing in the language, the descriptions, making sure everything is as tight and on-point as it can possibly be.