I don't consciously do anything to maintain a unique voice.

What I look for in any character, good or bad, is whether I can hear him speak. If I can imagine him that clearly, then I can write about him.

Reading a novel in which all characters illustrate patience, hard work, chastity, and delayed gratification could be a pretty dull experience.

I held a variety of jobs - most notably ten years working in universities - and kept on writing.

I do like to explore evil characters in my books.

Tod Goldberg has long been one of the most interesting writers around, and Gangsterland is his biggest and best book so far.

The characters you refer to as predatory and unsavory are useful. They're the ones who make a novel into a thriller. They're active, and most of the common virtues, the signs of a good person, are not.