What is the best piece of advice you could give to the next generation of writers?
The first thing I tell up-and-coming writers and students I meet is that they need to fall in love with reading. I am often shocked when I ask a young person who says they want to write who their favorite authors are, and they have to pause, gaze up and can’t think of anyone. You are not going to be a great author if you are not passionate about reading.
Besides writing, can you name one other activity or hobby you’ve picked up during the pandemic?
Cooking! I absolutely love cooking. Like I said before, I consider myself a creature of movement. But I traveled so much in normal times, that I hardly had time to cook for my family. But during this lockdown, I cook almost every day for my family, and we sit down and have dinner. It is a gift to have so much time to sit with your spouse and your children and simply share stories.
