Writing doesn't leave much time for hobbies, unless you consider that I began writing as a hobby and have made the hobby into a profession.

I was trained in Army Intelligence, but spent most of my army career in the infantry. But like many people of my generation, I was very much caught up in the Cold War, and books and movies about espionage.

Most of my books are about contemporary subjects, and the world changes so fast that I'm lucky when events haven't overtaken the book I'm writing at the moment.

Basically, all women are nurturers and healers, and all men are mental patients to varying degrees.

You have to go out of your way as a suspense novelist to find situations where the protagonists are somewhat helpless and in real danger.

Lawrence Kelter is an exciting new novelist, who reminds me of an early Robert Ludlum.

I read 'Time', 'Newsweek' and 'The Economist'.