I'm sorry that our country and the people do not consider the arts as vital to our well-being as, say, medicine. Suffering is unnecessary. It doesn't make you a better artist; it only makes you a hungry one. However, to me the acquisition of the craft of writing was worth any amount of suffering.

Book tours are like boot camp but with little sleep and less food.

Whoever heard of a neurotic frog? Where do humans get off thinking they're the pinnacle of evolution?

If you like my novels, I commend your good taste.

Knowing Latin and having two years of Attic Greek gave me the strong foundation upon which I've built a career. I think the classical training, more than anything, has provided me with longevity.

Death is a greatly overrated experience. I hated Mother's and I'm not looking forward to my own. Apart from the sorrow there are the bills to be paid. Nobody dies for free.

I mean, what do people talk about when they're married?" "Their kids, I guess." "Maybe that's all they have in common.