The last great movie I saw was...
The Whole Wide World, with Vincent D'onofrio as Texas creator of Conan, Robert E. Howard.

My idea of a dream vacation is...
drinking coffee in Selva Negra, Nicaragua. In the morning when you hike, you hear the howler monkeys.

My desert-island book would be...
The U.S. Army Survival Manual. What, you were expecting, Kahlil Gibran?

My writing rituals include...
hiding out with my laptop in empty lecture halls at a nearby university.

When I'm not writing or reading I...
am probably taking my two girls to the library.

My favorite food is...
Tubular Tacos at the Hula Hut-on Lake Austin.

My least favorite food is...
dumplings. Never really cared for them; not the Chinese kind, but the Southern-biscuit-dough kind.

The music I'm really into these days is...
a lot of 80s new wave and classic rock.

My favorite item of clothing is...
m leather jacket, insanely heavy and perfect for trips.

My greatest achievement so far is...
yet to come. I mean, one would hope, right?

If I couldn't be a writer, I would be...
a lawyer. I've got a license laying around here somewhere.

My one wish would be...
that both my girls know always that they are loved. Everything else falls into place.

My most embarrassing moment was...
not so bad in retrospect.

My best quality is...
compassion; I try to see where people are coming from.

My worst quality is...
that I waste more time than I would prefer, and sometimes fail to be compassionate.

My greatest love is...
my friend and spouse, Julia.

My favorite quote is...
"In this world you can be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. For years I was smart; I recommend pleasant." -Harvey

An author I'd love to lunch with is...
Jim Hynes. I really admired his most recent book, Next, about an unforgettable afternoon in Austin.

My favorite animal (or pet!) is...
my dog Gus, a scampy little Border Terrier who has an angel-wing pattern on his back.

The TV show that I can't live without is...
Mystery Science Theater 3000 on reruns. Also, lately into 90210. Don't tell anyone.

The artist(s) or musician(s) I draw inspiration from include...
a lot of James Bond and White Zombie.

If a movie were made of my life, I would be played by...
an animated character. I would be a Pixar version of myself. I would provide the voice.

The song title that best describes me is...
"One for the Road," a song I sing to my daughters. Wait, that's a terrible message.

The fictional character I most admire is...
Atticus Finch, whom I use as a guide for life. "What would Atticus do?" I ask.

My best habit is...
I try to be gentle. The world is full of harshness and I would prefer not to be a part of it.

My worst habit is...
I prefer to think of my personality as "colorful."

My favorite pair of shoes is...
a pair of battered, black leather boots I've resoled at least three times.

My first crush was...
Misty Jensen. Short, platinum hair. This was what, 1983?

My drink of choice is...
Diet Dr Pepper. And coffee, of course.

A perfect day would include...
running around the lake, then listening to music at the Nana Bar at the top of the Anatole in Dallas.

I dream about...
happiness for my family. As to me, my life is perfectly pleasant and I wouldn't tug at any threads.

My favorite sports team is...
the U.S. Olympic Ski Team.

My favorite city is...
Austin, Texas.

The place where I am the happiest is...
in my little red studio in Grapevine, Texas.

My Six-Word Memoirâ„¢ is...
It could've been SO much worse.