I had lived in New York since 1996, sometimes in the worst neighborhoods, without even locking my door half the time.

Every time I try to write on vacation, I fail miserably.

Today, MTV doesn't play videos anymore, but YouTube certainly has become the next MTV.

The death drive is parasitic. It runs off of other drives, leeching off of them.

I just think, as writers, especially with a book that takes years to write, you sort of wake up every morning hoping and praying that you can make it work for the day.

It's always surprised me that mainstream America had the good taste to like R.E.M. It doesn't have the digestible quality the general public tends to look for in its favorite musicians.

I'm convinced I was the only kid ever who had a Death on the Nile [1978] movie poster and a Murder on the Orient Express [1974] movie poster on his bedroom walls.