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.

From a very early age, my wife and I told our son that there are times and places for everything. I told him, look, when you're in class, you have to be quiet and listen to your teacher, but when you go out to the playground, you can scream and be silly.

My son is trying to be a sports writer, and my daughter is a college student. She wants to be a comedy writer, and she's at film school. I discouraged both of them early on from getting involved in Starbucks. I didn't think it would be fair; plus, they didn't have any interest anyway.

I'm a football fanatic. I love the game of football. I love learning new things, and I love being taught things. So I try to learn as much as I can, and even at a young age, I was really focused on how to be better and trying to learn all the techniques.

Young men and women, your education is ever important - to us, to you, and to God.