That was interesting, riding in the trunk," Milo said, "but I wouldn't want to do it again.

She says what holds their marriage together is that she feels too damn sorry for him to ask for a divorce.

Besides, I can't get to where I want to go by conscious or unconscious suicide. I've got my strange little life to lead. Leading it the best I can - that's how I buy the ticket to where I want to be.

In my books, I never portray violence as a reasonable solution to a problem. If the lead characters in the story are driven to it, it's at the extreme end of their experience.

I always enjoyed the kids, but I didn't enjoy the bureaucracy of the educational system.

I need those nukes, the chief said. I need them, I need them right now. I don't want to be an enabler, sir. I'd rather get you into a twelve step program to help you break this addiction.

Lies hurt people; imagination makes life more fun.