I believe that the writer should tell a story. I believe in plot. I believe in creating characters and suspense.

Without love for my fellow man and respect for nature, to me, life is an obscenity.

I knew I wanted to be a writer and I knew if I had a wife and family, I would neglect something, and I was afraid it wouldn't be the writing.

The Six Golden Rules of Writing: Read, read, read, and write, write, write.

Words mean nothing. Action is the only thing. Doing. That's the only thing.

What I miss today more than anything else - I don't go to church as much anymore - but that old-time religion, that old singing, that old praying which I love so much. That is the great strength of my being, of my writing.

"What for?" I said. "What for, Tante Lou? He treated me the same way he treated her. He wants me to feel guilty, just as he wants her to feel guilty. Well, I'm not feeling guilty, Tante Lou. I didn't put him there. I do everything I know how to do to keep people like him from going there. He's not going to make me feel guilty."