How much research I have to do depends on the nature of the story. For fantasy, none at all.

Spontaneity is one of the joys of existence, especially if you prepare for it in advance.

Getting inside the mind of a terrorist wasn't difficult at all. Even as children, human beings fabricate elaborate revenge fantasies. We're not a particular species. Check out popular video games.

I see the Jedi mission as giving up a normal life in exchange for protecting the innocent. It's a life of sacrifice. There are rewards, but also a certain degree of sterility.

It is always hard when reality intrudes on belief.

In one book, CACHALOT, just for my own amusement, every character is based directly on someone I have known.

An apex is always surrounded only by emptiness