There are cities that get by on their good looks, offer climate and scenery, views of mountains or oceans, rockbound or with palm trees. And there are cities like Detroit that have to work for a living.

My characters have to talk, or they're out. They audition in early scenes. If they can't talk, they're given less to do, or thrown out.

There's nothing like work to take your mind off your worries.

Really, when I write a book I'm the only one I have to please. That's the beauty of writing a book instead of a screenplay.

The line of dialogue belongs to the character; the verb is the writer sticking his nose in.

I want the reader to know what's going on. So there's never a mystery in my books.

I try to leave out the parts readers skip.