Time is a river, and books are boats.

Sometimes a change of perspective is all it takes to see the light.

Writing an informative yet compact thriller is a lot like making maple sugar candy. You have to tap hundreds of trees - boil vats and vats of raw sap - evaporate the water - and keep boiling until you've distilled a tiny nugget that encapsulates the essence.

One final bit of advice. The next time a senior administrator of the CIA tells you she has a national-security crisis Leave the bullshit in Cambridge.

The Bible, as we know it today, was collated by the pagan Roman Emperor Constantine the Great

Who will guard the guards ? If we're the guards of society, then who will watch us and make sure that we're not dangerous?

For me, a good thriller must teach me something about the real world. Thrillers like 'Coma,' 'The Hunt for Red October' and 'The Firm' all captivated me by providing glimpses into realms about which I knew very little - medical science, submarine technology and the law.