Emory was the only school that would offer me a job. Usually I jot a lot of interviews, but when people saw my face and heard me talk they would discard my application. So I am very grateful to Emory. When I am teaching, I have to spend a lot of time preparing for the classes. A novel usually takes more time, because it will occupy my mind for a long time.
Poetry needs bursts of energy and often depends on luck.
It depends on which period of the Chinese experience I am writing about. The current China may be unfamiliar to me. If I go back to China, it will only be a short visit. My stay in the army might have given me the opportunity to mix with different kinds of people, but those years were not that hard mentally. I was young and innocent and to a degree enjoyed staying at the front, though physically it was harsh.