When you've written 10 books and have six on the New York Times best-seller list - and four have been No. 1 - I think you have a right to be a member of Congress.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I've had all six of my books reach the New York Times bestseller list, which is especially rewarding seeing as I flunked out of high school twice because I couldn't write. It just goes to show you that we learn from our mistakes.
And yes, there's a simplicity to writing books because you're not a member of a team, so you make all the decisions yourself instead of deferring to a committee.
I think people are confusing the right to write with the right to be published.
Early in my publishing career, someone told me I'd need to have five books in print before I could quit my job as a journalist. Turns out it was closer to 10 books. It also turns out that while it's great to see my titles on bookstore shelves, my best customers are schools and libraries.
I was never supposed to make it to Congress. I was a staff person.
My last comment was, though, that Congress has cooked the books.
I never thought I would run for Congress. If you look back at a certain reality TV show, you know that.
I've been bragging for over 25 years that my first New York Times bestseller was a book I copied from the U.S. Government Printing Office!
I was four when I announced my ambition to write, eight when I began publishing such claims.
I think the response I get to one 'New Yorker' cover outweighs five books that I publish.