He had been granted his life's wish-but conditionally.

My favorite period is World War II, and I'm in the middle of writing my fourth novel set in that era.

World War II is the greatest drama in human history, the biggest war ever and a true battle of good and evil. I imagine writers will continue to get stories from it, and readers will continue to love them, for many more years.

For success, the author must make the reader care about the destiny of the principals, and sustain this anxiety, or suspense, for about 100,000 words.

One of the hardest things for me, now that I'm famous, is finding people who can read my stuff and give me an honest critique.

There is no point in asking a man a question until you have established whether he has any reason to lie to you.

I read mostly fiction, a lot of 19th-century novels.