THE BLONDE OF THE JOKE is about a lot of things. It is about shoplifting and skankiness, yes, but it’s also about friendship and grief and individuality and independence. I know that I taught myself a lot of things while I was writing it, and I hope that everyone who reads it comes away with a lot to think about. You should be able to learn something from almost any piece of fiction. But readers are smart enough to draw their own conclusions. Not only do I not need to tell people what to think, but the ideal reader will be able to learn things from a good book that the author never even considered. It’s a mutual exploration, not a lesson. AND THAT IS THE POINT OF LITERATURE.