I love visiting LA. It's an endlessly fascinating city, and is, of course, America's entertainment capital. Each time I go, I fall in love with it all over again. That said, it's not the sort of place I'd want to live.

The key to thrillers is vicarious pleasure.

You see something scary, you should stand up and step toward it, not away from it. Instinctively, reflexively, in a raging fury.

The way to write a thriller is to ask a question at the beginning, and answer it at the end.

A person less fortunate than yourself deserves the best you can give. Because of duty, and honor, and service. You understand those words? You should do your job right, and you should do it well, simply because you can, without looking for notice or reward.

I just felt from personal observation that there is nothing more dislocated or alienated than a lifelong military person trying to cope in civilian life. It's like two completely separate planets.

LA has a fantastic car scene and because the climate is so gentle, cars can last forever.