What I love about California is this attitude of being supportive and positive about things. When you tell someone your idea, the answer is: 'Great, how can I help?' not 'Well that's not going to work.'

In my deepest, darkest moments, what really got me through was a prayer. Sometimes my prayer was 'Help me.' Sometimes a prayer was 'Thank you.' What I've discovered is that intimate connection and communication with my creator will always get me through because I know my support, my help, is just a prayer away.

I read a book a day when I was a kid. My family was not literary; we did not have any books in the house.

I don't discriminate between a boy and girl when it comes to friendship.

I adore the company of other writers because they are so often lively minds and, frequently, blazingly funny. And of course, we get each other in a unique way.

Start with God - the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning.

I've always listened to music while I write, but none of my work has been so directly impacted by a song as my new novel, 'So Cold the River,' for which the brilliant strings piece 'Short Trip Home,' composed by Edgar Meyer and featuring the incredible Joshua Bell on violin, inspired much of the story.

And now, this is the sweetest and most glorious day that ever my eyes did see.

The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it.

Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do... but how much love we put in that action.

No bird soars too high if he soars with his own wings.

I never saw music in terms of men and women or black and white. There was just cool and uncool.

As long as you're having fun and being positive and progressive, I'm going to say you're living a Zumbao lifestyle.

For me, success is a state of mind. I feel like success isn't about conquering something; it's being happy with who you are.