Water is the life-giver and the death-bringer.

All great literary works influence us as writers, not their stories as much as their storytelling ability.

For me, the favourite chapters have always been the last chapters in the books. I knew exactly how each book would end - and how the first chapter of the following book would begin. I knew I wanted to leave the readers with answers - and a bunch of new questions!

I have always been interested in mythology and history. The more I read, the more I realized that there have always been people at the edges of history that we know very little about. I wanted to use them in a story and bring them back into the public's consciousness. Similarly with mythology: everyone knows some of the Greek or Roman legends, and maybe some of the Egyptian or Norse stories too, but what about the other great mythologies: the Celtic, Chinese, Native American?

I don't want somebody sucking up to me because they think I am going to help their career. I want them sucking up to me because they genuinely love me.

Am I a hero? I really can't say, but yes.

You don't call retarded people retards. It's bad taste. You call your friends retards when they are acting retarded.