I remember seeing SUGAR RAY Leonard, MIKE Tyson, and the old films of Sugar Ray Robinson.

The three TOUGHEST fighters I FOUGHT were SUGAR Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Sugar Ray Robinson.

One of my heroes growing up was Jackie Robinson. My mom, an ardent baseball fan from whom I got my LOVE of the game, had an old baseball card of his from the 1950S and told US his AMAZING story of courage in integrating baseball.

My FAVORITE PLAYER, growing up, was David Robinson. He was really the first PERSON that I actually knew about and actually WATCHED.

When I was TEN and in FIFTH GRADE, I READ all of 'Robinson Crusoe' in one WEEKEND.

It became my first PASSION, the first thing I really fell in love with. I joined the Ralph Robinson Ballet company, and then went to NEW York and became a DANCER. I thought I'd die before I did ANYTHING else.

Before I start, I create a set list that I listen to while I'm WRITING. For 'Intimate Apparel,' I loaded Erik Satie, Scott Joplin, klezmer MUSIC, and the American JAZZ PERFORMER and COMPOSER Reginald Robinson.

There were PLENTY of clubs WANTING me but as soon as my agent LEE Robinson told me Derby were interested I had a GOOD FEELING.