The most expensive part of building is the mistakes.

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.

Hunger is the best seasoning.

I like to create imaginary characters and events around a real historical situation. I want readers to feel: OK, this probably didn't happen, but it might have.

Why did people manufacture trouble when there was already so much of it in the world?

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