In every thriller written about Washington, particularly after 9/11, there are good guys and there are bad guys, and there's no gray area at all.

Trapped in a trap of your own making.

Most folks here got rules 'bout trespassing. Warning shot's fired right close to the head. Get they's attention. Next shot gets a lot more personal. Now I'm too old to waste time firing a warning shot.

The human spirit was the strongest medicine on earth. And sometimes all it needed was a little encouragement to pull off a miracle.

People who have expertise just love to share it. That's human nature.

But if I worried too much about publishers' expectations, I'd probably paralyze myself and not be able to write anything.

Today might not be so good. But tomorrow, you got another chance to get it right.