Dana Spiotta

I like to buy books for the kids in my family. I guess that's why they call me the 'mean' aunt.

Your memories from your early childhood seem to have such purchase on your emotions. They are so concrete.

I try to write about how we live today, how we use language, technology, our bodies.

I don't have a lot of skills, but one thing I can do is, I can compartmentalize. I can make that a little world that I can go back to, so I can be a waitress, or I can be a teacher, and then go and work on my book.

It takes a long time to write a novel when you have to keep interrupting your work to earn money.