I used to sit near Marilyn Monroe in the Actor's Studio. She'd get dressed up because that was her identity. Sad. Those cameras wouldn't leave her alone. She didn't know where to hide.

With out art without communicating we wouldn't live beyond 30 because we'd be so sad and depressed.

It's sad when you can't make everyone happy though. It's impossible but at the same time you still hope. You think 'Maybe I can do it ' but you know you can't. But gosh if I had to rely on giving people what they wanted I would have had to write 40 billion different books and even then I wouldn't get it right.

People say oh it's a shame you're not nostalgic about the '60s. Well actually it's quite good when you think of it. Wouldn't it be sad if I was sitting here wishing it back?

I do not take steroids. I never have. It's sad to me that people want to point fingers. I don't do that. That's not me. I wouldn't feel like a human being.

The first book I wrote was The Bride Price which was a romantic book but my husband burnt the book when he saw it. I was the typical African woman I'd done this privately I wanted him to look at it approve it and he said he wouldn't read it.

When I was younger many of my romantic escapades were just a means of simply avoiding being by myself. I was afraid of feeling lonely afraid I wouldn't know what to say to myself.

I wouldn't treat a romantic scene any differently than any other scene. I would really say the biggest preparation was chewing gum and breath mints! For a kissing scene it's all about the breath mints!

Most teachers still say they love teaching though they wouldn't mind a little more respect for their challenging work and a little less blame for America's educational shortcomings.

I have too much respect for the characters I play to make them anything but as real as they can possibly be. I have a great deal of respect for all of them otherwise I wouldn't do them. And I don't want to screw them by not portraying them honestly.