I don't want to indulge myself in the luxury of writing beautiful paragraphs just for the sake of making beautiful writing. That doesn't interest me. I want everything to be essential.

I've had the odd good luck of starting slowly and building gradually, something few writers are allowed anymore. As a result I've seen each of my books called the breakthrough. And each was, in its way.

There's never any percentage in being ahead of your time.

When people call something "original," 9 out of 10 times they just don't know the references or original sources involved.

As much as I care about historical context - I'm very eager to read a really great historical account.

Apologies aren't something you want to get in the habit of practicing in the mirror

Once you fall into habits, I think, you're dead as an artist. You have to challenge yourself and never rest on your laurels, never think about what you've done in the past.