My parents were pretty liberal, but they were still parents. I definitely had my teenage rebellion.

I think dystopian futures are also a reflection of current fears.

I try to write characters that are as real, emotionally and psychologically, as I can make them; I feel the same way about setting. This often means that I'm drawing from my experiences and observations.

I think 'Voldemort' is definitely the scariest villain.

Being editor of 'Slate' is the best job I've ever had because of the freedom and support given to me by Don Graham and the Post Co. and because of the opportunity to work with colleagues I admire and adore.

I always say, and I mean it, that the great break of my literary career was when I went to law school.

I'm not a hugely social person. Obviously there's a big part of the job that requires that as actors, but it's not the most comfortable for me. I'm a homebody. I don't go out. My life is work and family. There's not a lot in between. That's how I like it.

I spent a lot of my early blogging career sort of highlighting all the ills of the government in Kenya and all the corruption and problems.