Words of wisdom from John Steinbeck in his Nobel Prize acceptance speech: “The writer is delegated to declare and celebrate man’s proven capacity for greatness of heart and spirit—for gallantry in defeat, for courage, compassion and love. In the endless war against weakness and despair, these are the bright rally flags of hope and emulation. I hold that a writer who does not believe in the perfectibility of man has no dedication nor any membership in literature.” Here Steinbeck raises the bar for all writers. I, for one, tell stories that I hope meet this demanding standard (but it ain’t easy).