In ‘We Were the Mulvaneys,’ animals are almost as important as people. I wanted to show the tenderness in our relationships with cats, dogs, and horses. Especially cats. Joyce Carol Oates Read Quote
We are all regionalists in our origins, however ‘universal’ our themes and characters, and without our cherished hometowns and childhood landscapes to nourish us, we would be like plants set in shallow soil. Our souls must take root – almost literally. Joyce Carol Oates Read Quote
To be true to life, a novel must have an ending that is inevitable given the specific personalities of the characters involved. The novelist must not impose an ending upon them. Joyce Carol Oates Read Quote
Before you can write a novel you have to have a number of ideas that come together. One idea is not enough. Joyce Carol Oates Read Quote
My parents were very proud of me. After they passed, my career doesn’t mean as much to me. Joyce Carol Oates Read Quote
I don’t feel I write fast. I write in longhand and do so much revision. On the page, it’s so old-fashioned. I could write a whole novel on scrap paper, scribbles and things. I keep looking at it and something develops. For me, using a word processor would mean staring at a screen for too many hours. Joyce Carol Oates Read Quote
Except that awards are competitive, which is a negative thing, they are wonderful for singling out deserving individuals and bringing their work to the attention of many potential readers who might otherwise have been totally unaware of them. Joyce Carol Oates Read Quote
Honorary degrees and lifetime achievement awards are very encouraging. I know that it might sound strange that a writer who has published many books still needs encouragement, but this is true. Joyce Carol Oates Read Quote
As soon as I moved to Princeton in 1978, I became fascinated by local history, much of it Revolutionary War-era; and I became fascinated by the presidency of Woodrow Wilson at Princeton University. Joyce Carol Oates Read Quote
