I Think I Learned A Lot From

Hope Doesn't Mean Anything. ... Action's The Only Thing That Counts.

A Thousand Times Today I've Started To Open My Mouth, Started To Squeak Out, "can You Tell Me...? But Then I'd Look Into The Front Seat, At My Mother's Silent Shaking, My Father's Grim Profile, The Mournful Bags Under His Eyes, And All The Questions I Might Ask Seemed Abusive. Assault And Battery, A Question Mark Used Like A Club. My Parents Are Old And Fragile. I'd Have To Heartless To Want To Hurt Them.

And Nedley Started Saying,'shut Up!quit That! And I Knew It Really Meant Something To Him. So I Asked For His Help,"mark Said. "don't Tell The Story Like That," Nedley Laughed. "what He Said Was 'quit Pretendin You're A Bad Guy I Need Your Help, And I Need It Now!

Fail Big If You Have To, But Go Down Trying.

Generally I Finish A First Draft In 2-6 Months, Then I Set It Aside For A While So That When I Come Back To It I Can Read It With Fresh Eyes And Figure Out How To Improve It.