But while our parting was mutually acceptable and even expedient, still it was painful. And I would like to think it hurt both of us, for I certainly felt it: a wrenching inside, like some small but improbably necessary organ was no longer in there, that it was missing, torn or fallen out. And at the time I'd thought that was the end of it; what was missing was gone forever

The Army was my bread and butter.

A literary critic is someone who can't write, but who loves to show he would have been a wonderful writer if only he could!

But I've found that to talk too much about movies is the kiss of death. If it happens then it happens, is all.

I have friends who read my books in Greek.

Now, when I was in the Army, writing was my hobby.

And I have to consider myself fortunate, because there are plenty of writers who spend most of a lifetime looking for that certain something without ever finding it.