Tomatoes.
I teach dyslexic children and understand you have this learning disability. How did you overcome it?
Dyslexia is a term that means many things to many people. I had (still have) some kind of learning disability. It made going to school hard. I don't know how I overcame it except by wanting to read and write, and recognizing that these things would simply take me more time to do than they took my friends. I don't complain about being a slow writer or reader. I like writing and reading slowly. It was not easy to be slow as a student, however, when you are judged by how quickly you can absorb and retain a wide range of information. I could never be a good student. I don't have any difficulty being a good writer. And now that I'm not in school, I'm a good reader-- just a slow one.
What is God's plan for YOU?
I am not especially religious, personally. I go to church rarely. I don't presume to know if God exists-- sometimes I think so, sometimes not. I would never presume to guess what God's plan for me is, or even if God has a plan. I find religion interesting. The subject of belief is a tantalizing one. I am intellectually curious about it. I have an open mind about it. I dislike loudmouthed believers and atheists about equally. I think belief is a personal thing.
What role does religion play in your life, if any?
As I said above, I go to church rarely. When I do, it's because something about the experience moves me. I have two good friends who are ministers; I know other ministers and I generally like them. Sometimes I pray, but not regularly. I pray for the health and happiness of my children. Is this really of interest to anyone but me? I don't imagine so.
Your books, essentially, seem to be about grace and acceptance. What influences helped mold this outlook in your writing, and perhaps in your life?
Accept the things you can not change, right? Who said that? Well, just because you have to accept things doesn't mean that they have to please you. I do not very gracefully accept things I don't like in real life. In my novels, maybe some degree ot graceful acceptance is perceived as a virtue, and sometimes certainly it is, but, personally, I tend to rant and rave about things I detest, like most people.
