I can't say that winning the Pen/Faulkner was a dream come true because I would never have dared to dream it. Karen Joy Fowler daredreamfaulkner Change image and share on social
Octavia Butler often described herself as an outsider, but within science fiction, she was loved as an insider, someone who was a fan first and came to S.F. writing as an enthusiastic reader. Karen Joy Fowler butlerenthusiasticfan Change image and share on social
I learned how to comport myself among trolls, elves, hobbits or goblins. I learned that a friend can be lost to greed and avarice. I learned that solving riddles may be as important a survival skill as bowmanship. I know how to talk to a dragon, and that it's best not to. Karen Joy Fowler avaricebowmanshipcomport share on social
Miss Sarzin was the best teacher I ever had. Karen Joy Fowler missarzinteacher Change image and share on social
My books have occasionally been of mixed success. It's not like I have gone from triumph to triumph. I have had a couple of books do very, very well and a couple do very, very badly. Karen Joy Fowler badlybookcouple Change image and share on social
I assume that we are all limited by our own brains and experiences and can only understand other people and other creatures through a kind of translation that brings them closer to us. Karen Joy Fowler assumebrainbring Change image and share on social
I had a very loyal cult-like following, I feel. And I don't mean to complain about that. Karen Joy Fowler complaincultfeel Change image and share on social
If we see a sad rain, it doesn't mean the rain is sad, but it means we see it. That's an easily dismissible kind of projection. But what I'm struggling to say, is that we take that rain in through our own hearts and emotions and senses and skin, and all those filters have an impact. Karen Joy Fowler dismissibleeasilyemotion share on social
I hear so many writers say - and these are writers that I trust completely - 'I just started hearing a voice', or, 'The characters came to life'. I am filled with loathing for my own characters when I hear that because they do nothing of the sort. Left to their own devices, they do nothing but drink coffee and complain about their lives. Karen Joy Fowler charactercoffeecomplain share on social
I was pretty happy with how my career had gone, mainly because of the enormous freedom I've had to write what I've wanted to write. I had a very clear picture of who I was as a writer. Karen Joy Fowler careerclearenormous Change image and share on social