Eden Robinson: I usually tame my off-kilter sense of humor for novels.

Once your writing is out there, you can't control how other people perceive it. All you can do is stand in your truth.

Eden Robinson

perceive writing people

I don't really get romance. Bring me fish or moose, not flowers.

Eden Robinson

moose romance flower

I was born on the same day as Edgar Allan Poe and Dolly Parton: January 19. I am absolutely certain that this affects my writing in some way.

Eden Robinson

january writing way

We can be the new brand of self-extincting dinosaurs or we can evolve.

Eden Robinson

dinosaurs evolve self

I've had people who see all my characters as Native, even if they aren't. It's kind of like assuming all a writer's characters are really female because the writer is a woman. I've learned to let that go.

Eden Robinson

female character people

In general, I'm careful when I'm dealing with subjects of deep cultural importance and write with abandon when I'm dealing with issues of personal dysfunction.

Eden Robinson

dysfunction issues writing

I miss smoking (two to four packs a day) but I don't miss the crackle in my lungs when I breathed.

Eden Robinson

missing smoking two

The push and pull of representing your world responsibly and your artistic license is a tricky balance.

Eden Robinson

artistic balance world

I think the best advice I got was to not worry about what other people would think while you were working on your first draft. Focus on getting it out of your head. You can always edit the manuscript later.

Eden Robinson

worry people thinking

I find myself moved by social justice issues. I'm not sure where that will lead me. I'm willing to nurture it.

Eden Robinson

issues social justice

If I have a clear spot in my schedule, I like to tackle the heavy scenes that require the heightened emotion and focus of a long writing session. Otherwise, I have daily obligations that can't be ignored.

Eden Robinson

focus writing long

I have carpal tunnel so I can't write more than four hours total without tingling numbness. I take a lot of breaks and do stretches.

Eden Robinson

numbness tunnels writing

I do get flak for the lack of romance in my stories.

Eden Robinson

romance stories

Autumn. Pretty leaves, pumpkin pie and sweaters. Perfect weather for reading. Winter is great but I hate shoveling.

Eden Robinson

autumn hate reading

The critiques I received from my father's community didn't actually have to do with any of the things I'd been afraid of - spiritual or cultural aspects - they were more annoyed that I'd killed off this character or those characters hadn't hooked up or I'd done an open ending and it didn't give them a sense of closure that they were expecting.

Eden Robinson

spiritual character father

If I gave up writing, I'd have to find an equally obsessive way to fill my time. Yarn-bombing skyscrapers or making houses out of empty soda bottles.

Eden Robinson

yarn house writing

My family is filled with wonderful storytellers. I lack their gift of gab, so it's a relief to be able to write.

Eden Robinson

relief able writing

I don't know if I have a book in me, but I'm sure I have more essays.

Eden Robinson

essays knows book

I think we're in a 1970s-level moment of social transition and they're always full of upheaval. As violent and deranged as we can be to each other and to other species, we've got nothing on tsunamis, hurricanes or tornadoes.

Eden Robinson

upheaval transition thinking

I think we learn slowly as a group, but we learn. The ozone layer is still there.

Eden Robinson

ozone groups thinking