Disney's something to be a little alarmed about. It's not just a little theme park anymore. It's now an ethic and outlook and strategy that goes way beyond central Florida.

I got overwhelmed by the magnitude of the celebrity culture in America. My background is as a news journalist, and newsrooms in the US are shrinking - investigation teams are being terminated or shrunk on newspapers all around the country. The one aspect that's expanded is coverage of celebrity culture.

My books are character-driven. They're not driven by the story.

I've always enjoyed making people laugh. But in order for me to be funny, I have to get ticked off about something.

Jimmy Lee Baylis was a wise man, and knew better than to talk back to the man who signed his paycheck.

When I'm working on a novel of my own, I try to read mostly nonfiction, although sometimes I break down and peek at something else.

My escape is to just get in a boat and disappear on the water.