People always ask me about the role models that I'm providing for kids, and I say I can't be concerned with that. I'm not worrying about corrupting youth. I'm worrying about writing realistically and truthfully to affect the reader.

Affection is one of the most neglected words in the English language, that people throw the word love around like confetti when they mean affection.

I sometimes get tired because I can seldom read a book for pleasure. I'm like the play reviewer who happens to go to a play on an off day and can't help but view it critically.

Everybody sins, Francis. The terrible thing is that we love our sins. We love the thing that makes us evil.

Cities fell. Earth opened. Planets tilted. Stars plummeted. And the awful silence.

...pain reaches a certain point and does not get worse but remains in all its intensity and you can survive it.

You hope that people read your book and say "Yes, this is the way it is or could be." But then you have no way of knowing until the reader reads the book. Actually, the critical response doesn't worry me. I've had very few reviews that have upset me.