Writers must be fair and remember even bad guys (most of them, anyway) see themselves as good—they are the heroes of their own lives. Giving them a fair chance as characters can create some interesting shades of gray—and shades of gray are also a part of life.

Sarcastic people tend to be marshmallows underneath the armor

Acknowledge your good fortune by sharing it.

I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs, and I will shout it from the rooftops.

Alone. Yes, that's the key word, the most awful word in the English tongue. Murder doesn't hold a candle to it and hell is only a poor synonym.

The trick is to teach yourself to read in small sips as well as long swallows.

You want to remember that while you're judging the book, the book is also judging you.