I never could have done what I have done without the habits of punctuality order and diligence without the determination to concentrate myself on one subject at a time.

When I am getting ready to reason with a man I spend one-third of my time thinking about myself and what I am going to say and two-thirds about him and what he is going to say.

I still don't look at myself as a star. I've always had a thankful heart.

I want to let my fans get to know a little about me. I'm very thankful for everything they've done for me so of course I'm going to let them into my world a bit. But I really am a very private person and I love kepping my life to myself - that's how I've always been.

All I ever wanted really and continue to want out of life is to give 100 percent to whatever I'm doing and to be committed to whatever I'm doing and then let the results speak for themselves. Also to never take myself or people for granted and always be thankful and grateful to the people who helped me.

It's been quite a roller coaster ride but I've grown and learned a lot about myself. The greatest thing is being able to interact with fans and touch people's lives... for that I give thanks.

You need to know what makes artists tick. Having been through the process myself as a musician since I was an early teen gave me an advantage - understanding them from their point of view because it's about them it's not about you - it's their vision and what they're capable of achieving and you're the conduit.

I decided that if I were to write a teen series I'd want to set it in a place that was familiar to me - Manhattan where I'd grown up - and I'd model the characters on myself and my friends.

I saw myself as an outsider as a teen. I was home-schooled and got my G.E.D. when I was 16 I wasn't interested in high school at all and figured that college might be more entertaining.

When I was a teenager I would lock myself in the bathroom for hours bouffanting my hair like Patty Duke and trying to recreate Barbra Streisand's flawless eyeliner only to comb it all out and wash it all off before stepping out into the world a butchish bisexual teen.