“It took seven years from the day I decided I wanted to write fiction t...” — Cynthia Kadohata Quote

“It took seven years from the day I decided I wanted to write fiction to actually getting a book published.”

“I try to find my deepest, often hidden feelings about what's working and what's not. This is difficult because I do lie to myself without being aware that that's what I'm doing.”

“At the time I was writing 'Weedflower,' my friend Naomi Hirahara was writing a book about Japanese-American flower farmers. She knew quite a few elderly farmers and put me in touch with four or five of them who had been in camps during WWII. Some, like my father, were reluctant to talk about their experiences.”

“I have written much more than I have had published.”

“At least I'm at peace with myself. I have done my best to write a book about what really happened there and why it happened and it's done, it's published. I won't write another book on Vietnam.”

“I heard you had to get 200 rejections before you got published.”