In general, I think people are worried about saying the wrong thing to any grieving person. On a very basic level, I think they're frightened of touching off tears or sorrow, as though someone tearing up at the mention of unhappy news would be the mentioner's fault. Elizabeth McCracken basicfaultfrighten share on social
I am not a therapy person, but I understand what therapy does. It's a way of translating dark thoughts into something manageable. Elizabeth McCracken darkmanageableperson Change image and share on social
I can't imagine not joking even at the worst of times. And for me, it's sort of automatic. Elizabeth McCracken automaticbadimagine Change image and share on social
There were a lot of things I loved about working in a library, but mostly I miss the library patrons. I love books, but books are everywhere. Library patrons are as various and oddball and democratic as library books. Elizabeth McCracken bookdemocraticlibrary share on social
In 'Property,' none of the characters are based on any real people, but the house is very much the house that I moved into in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Elizabeth McCracken basecharacterhouse Change image and share on social
There's a good chance that in 40 years, after the floods, people zipping by on scavenged jetpacks with their scavenged baseball caps on backwards, I will be in my rocking chair saying bitterly, 'I remember when 'all right' was two words.' Elizabeth McCracken backwardsbaseballbitterly share on social
Revising stuff lately, I was shocked to see how often my characters scratched their ankles, felt their feet, and touched their own ears. Elizabeth McCracken anklecharacterear Change image and share on social
When I was in college, I wrote poetry very seriously, and then once I had started writing short stories, I didn't go back to poetry, partially because I felt like I understood how incredibly difficult it was. Elizabeth McCracken backcollegedifficult share on social
When I first met my husband, he was sculpting Vilnius out of clay - a sort of Vilnius, anyhow: a map of an imaginary European city based on the Lithuanian capital - to illustrate his second novel. Elizabeth McCracken basecapitalcity Change image and share on social
I work in my office on the campus of the University of Texas. It's the sort of place described as 'book-lined', but it's recently tipped over into 'fire-hazard' territory. Elizabeth McCracken bookcampusfire Change image and share on social