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" Some people who've read my story think I had a terrible childhood and that I was neglected or even abused, while others feel that my parents, while certainly flawed, also had truly wonderful qualities. And that's the way it should be, because in real life two people can look at the same president and one will see a hero and the other a villain. "

" One of the most challenging aspects of writing a memoir is finding your own voice, and you should be very careful about being influenced by someone else's voice. "

Jeannette Walls

Writing

Voice

Someone

" I reached my full height at age 11, and I was clumsy as all get-out - all elbows and knees, couldn't get up a flight of stairs without falling down. I wanted to be a cute, petite blonde, but I'm a big ol' strapping thing, so I just accept it. "

" My advice to anyone is to figure out what you're good at - what it is that you love doing the most in life - and figure out a way to make a living from it. "

" I never had any question that my parents loved me. I had a real sense of self confidence. "

" I listen to music mostly in the evening. I've come to love what is called world music, like the Zimbabwean Oliver Mtukudzi and the Colombian singer Marta Gomez. I also love the Irish folk singer Mary Black. Other favorites include Chet Baker, Eva Cassidy, and Billie Holiday. "

" I found out that people are incredibly compassionate and kind. It really changed my view of the world. "

" I find books that have a moral and spiritual center, that speak to what is really important and lasting, hugely appealing. "

" I was in control of what people thought of me, but I had no control over what they thought of my mother. When I asked my mother, 'How do I tell people about you?' her answer was, 'Tell the truth'. But of course, the truth is never simple. "

" Whenever I'm reading a book I enjoy, I always develop a mental list of the people I want to share it with. "

" Horses are a mirror of who you are. They're emotionally dependent on you. "

" I'm a fairly fast, but sloppy writer, so I'm a big fan of re-writing, and re-writing again. "

" When I got a little older, I started writing for the high school newspaper, 'The Maroon Wave,' and that's when I fell in love with journalism. "

" My life is not just about the past. "

" I believe that everyone has some huge talent in them; the really lucky ones discover what it is. "

" I was so worried that people wouldn't like me or my story. "

Jeannette Walls

Story

People

" I sit down at my desk pretty early in the morning and write all day until about 4 or 5 p.m. "

" We're stronger than we realize. "

" I always wanted to be a serious journalist. "

" Books are my very favorite gift to give. If you give a book to someone and they really respond to it, you feel you've actually changed their life in some way. "

" I'm a big believer in luck - the harder you work, the luckier you become. "

" Everything in life is gray, you know. "