I'm very much aware in the writing of dialogue, or even in the narrative too, of a rhythm. There has to be a rhythm with it … Interviewers have said, you like jazz, don’t you? Because we can hear it in your writing. And I thought that was a compliment.

I do have fun writing, and a long time ago, I told myself, 'You got to have fun at this, or it'll drive you nuts.'

I never see my bad guys as simply bad. They want pretty much the same thing that you and I want: they want to be happy.

All the information you need can be given in dialogue.

I always felt, you don’t have a good time doin crime, you may as well find a job.

I'm not going to write for posterity. I'm going to write to make a buck.

I still read Hemingway. I still read his short stories because they're so good. He doesn't waste any words.