I really like the George Clooney of Solaris also filmed by Andrei Tarkovsky, before Steven Soderbergh: that's very obviously sci-fi, and it seems to me a great film. But whatever pigeon-hole you put Stalker into you would both be increasing the risk of disappointing people and diminishing the film.

I like these nonfiction books where everything that is interesting about them is lost in that catch-all description of their "about"-ness.

There's something about New York. You can get a nice feeling of belonging as a writer here. It's probably the best city on Earth like that. I miss the wisecracking of New York.

What I'm really interested in, as a reader and as a writer, is the idea of the nonfiction book that is not defined by its content, by its "about"-ness. Where you read it irrespective of whether you're interested in the subject.

Have regrets. They are fuel. On the page they flare into desire.

I've never really liked L.A., because of its sprawl.

Quite often, ambition operates on a level of irritation. Not even jealousy, just irritation.