“We remember with our emotions. The things that were important in our emotional life, that's what we remember.”

“While the subject matter is lynching, on a deeper level, this novel is about identity. Whom and what we identify ourselves with determines our characters, determines who we are, and what we do.”

“I write because the lives of all of us are stories. If enough of those stories are told, then perhaps we will begin to see that our lives are the same story. The differences are merely in the details.”

“Dying ain't important. Everyone does that. What's important is how well you do your living.”

“Being a failure at living your own life as best as you can is better than being a success living the life somebody else says you should live.”

“Goodness was not a trait you acquired; it was a value you practiced when you were on the verge of doing evil.”

“How can I love you if I don't know what hurts you?”