Alice McDermott

A perfect poem you can't pin down and say, 'This is exactly what it meant to me.' It's not a self-help manual.

I'm not usually drawn to memoir - many run the risk of self-aggrandizement or score-settling.

Loss is inevitable - you have to be blind or naive to think otherwise.

I always was kind of on the edge of the church when I was fully in it, cos I was always asking the questions... And I could never believe blindly.

It's easy to have faith in yourself and have discipline when you're a winner, when you're number one. What you got to have is faith and discipline when you're not a winner.

My style has stayed pretty consistent over the years. I always wear what I like and what is appropriate for the occasion.