1. "I loved the story about Lucinda's affair with Craig. It was fun. I loved Scotty Bryce (then ex-Craig). We keep in touch. Not enough, but we do. I had an idea when Craig was with Lucinda that it would be an interesting story if he, the young man — who really loves Sierra — sort of fell for Lucinda. Not forever, but he was serious. [ATWT] couldn't, because of age. They were afraid to go there."

2. "I've loved so much of the stuff I've done with Martha (Byrne, Lily), and what we've found as mother and daughter. Some new producer came in with a suggestion and Martha — I love her — she said, 'This is the way we do it.' Whatever our way is (laughs). Lucinda's main problem in her life is that she was abandoned. She was thrown out by her mother when she was 12, and she always wanted love. Well, she's got it now. She knows that no matter what, those girls (Lily and Sierra) do love her. She fulfilled one of her main goals. She won't go through life thinking she was never loved. I like that."

3. "I loved working with Larry Bryggman (ex-John) in the early days, when things were freer and we'd make things up. It was silly. We always had scenes in bed and he'd say, 'We're always talking about the children. It's never about us.' I had my props, so no matter what we are talking about, they would know what was on our minds."

4. Lily discovered Lucinda adopted her and her biological mother was Iva Snyder. "I always wanted at the time to have more discussions of what is a mother. I think we do that better now. Is a mother the nurturer or is a mother just biological? Who is the mother? When Lily was 'blown up' in the house by her first husband, they made it equal. I didn't like it at the time. Everybody had a reaction to the death of Lily. I thought to myself, 'I'm the real mother. I'm the big cheese here.' They are all weeping. I was pleased with what I did — I just started to howl. I didn't know I was going to do it. This is the main love of her life. I always played that in the first couple of years, Lily was Lucinda's integrity. Martha and I have been talking now about the transfer of 'power' [between a mother and a daughter] with illness. I'm very interested in that. How it works, how it doesn't work, what's acceptable. We look for things like that."

5. "It's horrible to say [the cancer story is] a favorite, but it is something I have done a lot of research on. I've already gotten so much from the women who write in to me and who send me their poems and their thoughts. I feel a great responsibility. Anything I can do to make it authentic, I shall do. My research tells me that this is life-changing, obviously, in your heart, in your soul. I have a lot ideas about change. Lucinda could change. The writers said, 'You think she can?' I said, 'Of course she can.' She could always change back. I think it would be great if Lucinda had an admirer. I asked for a Scottish oncologist who looks after her. They laughed at me."