I'm a woman, but I've been a sexist, too.

A good novel doesn't just transcend the boundaries of its target market - it knows nothing about target markets.

As a writer, my main objective is to tell the story urgently - as if whispering it into one ear - and to know the characters intimately.

I write across genres so I see them, more often, as complementary instead of separated by boundaries.

Have we failed to slow global warming pollution in part because climate and environmental activists have been too polite and well behaved?

Every footstep we take, every action has a consequence. We breathe in weather, but we breathe out CO2. We're responsible for weather and for climate.

Chinese brands will face many obstacles when marketing to Western consumers. Beyond the associations with poor quality and unsound environmental practices, they generally do not have the marketing capabilities or budgets to build powerful global brands.

I have not made any suggestions about climate change. This is more about blending or shifting the conversation about the environment versus the economy. It's just such an old, outdated conversation.