Short-story writing requires an exquisite sense of balance. Novelists, frankly, can get away with more. A novel can have a dull spot or two, because the reader has made a different commitment.
“All of a sudden you have this feeling of clarity. Backcountry snowboarding has really done a lot to boost that feeling in me.”
“If Mr. Obama wants to get things done, he must recognize that in Washington only the president has the power to make the first big move.”