Novelists have always had complete freedom to pretty much tell their story any way they saw fit. And that's what I'm trying to do.

As a viewer, the minute I start getting confused, I check out of the movie. Emotionally, I'm severed.

Critics don't want to see directors they like make too much of a left turn. That's good for criticism.

If you just love movies enough, you can make a good one.

I just don't feel the whole white guilt and pussy-footing around race issues. I'm completely above all that. I've never worried about what anyone might think of me 'cause I've always believed that the true of heart recognize the true of heart.

I hate The Confederate cause. I've always felt that they are our Nazis and the rebel flag was our swastika.

I'm not superstitious in my normal daily life but I get that way about writing, even though I know it's all bullshit. But I began that way and so, that's the way it is. My ritual is I never use a typewriter or computer. I just write it all by hand. It's a ceremony. I go to a stationary store and buy a notebook and then fill it up.