Jami Attenberg

There's something to be said for an author who clearly respects a reader.

I remember being banned from other houses as a younger child during the winter holiday season; I was the only one who didn't believe in Santa Claus, and I was ruining everyone's Christmas.

I'm a really selfish person. But I would do anything for my friends.

The interesting thing about overeating or being obese is there's this physical manifestation of it.

Young adult novels don't shy away from the discussion of weight issues, and 'Blubber,' the tale of an overweight, not-so-sympathetic fifth-grader bullied by her peers, is a refreshing take.

An ellipsis is a giant ocean of possibilities.

I kind of want to be seen as an American writer, not just a New York writer.

I've always been an old soul.

My love can be easily bought with a steak from Peter Luger's.

Food and love are all intertwined at our core level. It can be a very nurturing, wonderful, loving thing.

I do not mourn the death of the printed letter in a snobby, East Coast, patrician way - 'Where have our manners gone?' - but because I love objects, I love paper, and I love something that I can hold to my chest for a moment. Still, I bear no grudge against the e-mail form itself.

It should be said upfront that I totally dig people who work in bookstores and libraries. They love books, and I love books, and that is all I really need to know. If they are friendly to me, then we are clearly soul mates.