When I was married to an abuser, he'd tell me he wouldn't have to get so angry if only I'd be less demanding, more supportive, more understanding. I hid the truth from everyone, especially myself.

Several of my favorite cousins and some of my best friends are lawyers, and I find the profession endlessly fascinating.

I was married to a law student, and I used to attend classes with him at Georgetown University Law Center. Being of dramatic bent, I was drawn mainly to Criminal law and Evidence classes. A just-beginning writer, I would find an empty chair and listen, mesmerized, to the lectures.

Little Night' comes from deep in my heart, and tells about the lengths people will go for love.

We need to ask questions about how we're going to give low-income kids who come from a broken home access to a loving home.

Whether it's making sure that families have access to quality health care and child care, or making sure that our children receive the best educational opportunities we can give them, we must remain committed to these needs because our children are our future.

When it comes to my family I never quite know how protective I have to be, or what I should or shouldn't say.

The only black folks in town when I was growing up were me and my cousins and one other family.