I was raised thinking that moral and ethical standards are universals that apply equally to everyone. And these values aren't easily compatible with the kind of religion that posits a Creator. To my way of thinking, an omnipotent being who sets up a universe in which thinking beings proliferate, grow old, and die (usually in agony, alone, and in fear) is a cosmic sadist.

If an idea is compelling enough it'll stick in my head until I am forced to write it. If it's forgettable, who cares?

All men are islands, surrounded by the bottomless oceans of unthinking night.

The dirty little secret of publishing is that, all along, each book sold has had an average of 5 readers. That's an 80% "piracy" rate if you insist on looking at it in those terms.

The trouble is, if you go too far towards being polite, the label that applies is "doormat".

What I've learned during my life is that the near future is 90% identical to the present - if you buy a new car today, it'll probably still be on the road in 2022.

No two books come out the same way. Some I write by the seat of my pants; others are planned in minute detail.