The amazing thing now is that most of those so-called critics who were telling me to find my own voice seem to have lost theirs.

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!

German readers are much like Brits or Americans: They read for the thrill of it, the occasional shudder down the spine, knowing it's not real - but looking over their shoulders anyway, just in case.

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.

But other vampire stories? Well, no, I really haven't read too many, and I can't say I'm crazy about romantic vampires anyway - to me the vampire is simply an evil monster.

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