I'm really suspicious of anybody who comes in and says, this is your identity now, or this is your belief system, and now that you have this, everything's going to be great.

I start with fear. It comes in so many forms. When I write, some of the fear goes away. So I write into the fear, and even more dissipates. I want to be scared while writing. I want to bring it to the surface so I can banish it.

I've been writing forever, 20 years.

Even drunk, I knew any escape plan that involved going to Detroit, Michigan, was a harbinger of doom.

My weak suit is whatever each reader hates about each book.

It is a great moment in every freak's life when he or she finds out that at least they are not the only one.

The sociopaths - that's the real problem. The whole street demeanor is about pretending to be a sociopath as well so that the real ones can't find you.