But how,” said Charles, who was close to tears, “how can you possibly justify cold-blooded murder?’ Henry lit a cigarette. “I prefer to think of it,” he had said, “as redistribution of matter.

Storytelling and elegant style don't always go hand in hand.

Criticism at the wrong time, even if it's legitimate criticism, can be seriously damaging and make the writer lose faith in what he's doing. It's the timing that's all-important.

The trouble is when people read about authors, they don't feel compelled to read the authors' work.

I'd always rather stand or fall on my own mistakes. There's nothing worse than looking back, in a published book, at a line edit or a copy edit that you felt queasy about and didn't want to take, but took anyway.

Stay away from the ones you love too much. Those are the ones who will kill you.

When you feel homesick,’ he said, ‘just look up. Because the moon is the same wherever you go.