In both cases, weakness and scruples had defeated strength and ruthlessness.

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

A baby was like a revolution, Grigori thought: you could start one, but you could not control how it would turn out.

I use a professional researcher in New York who does all the legwork, all that stuff which would take me days and weeks of calling, waiting for people to call back.

You see, all that I ever held dear has been taken from me," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. "And when you've lost everything-" Her facade began to crumble, and her voice broke, but she made herself carry on. "When you've lost everything, you've got nothing to lose.

The research is the easiest. The outline is the most fun. The first draft is the hardest, because every word of the outline has to be fleshed out. The rewrite is very satisfying.

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.