An interview with Jane Smiley

You’ve written an amazing array of books, including a mystery (Duplicate Keys), a humor novel (Moo), young adult books about horses, and essays on a variety of timely topics that have appeared in top-tier journals and magazines. How do you manage to vary style and tone so effectively?

I have different ideas and interests, and I try to go with each idea and let it develop itself appropriately. It may be a matter of temperament, but it’s the way I work, and also the way I read. I like lots of different types of books, and I admire writers, like Anthony Trollope and Emile Zola, who play in different keys.

More here, in Julee Newberger's new interview with Jane Smiley.