It's an American thing, but it's particularly a southern thing, and its romanticization is hyper-Southern. And it's still irresistible to me, even in middle age. There's something that pulls me to that, but at the same time, I have this increasing awareness of how banal it really is - that evil is inherently banal.

The present tense made him nervous.

I have friends who go [Tokyo] frequently on business, and it sounds interesting. I've heard that they have for the first time serious drug problems.

I've been interested in autism since I've known about it, which is more or less since I've been writing.

Occasionally if I look back at something I've written I'll find one of those that I don't understand, but that's a bad thing - the unconscious has dealt me a bad hand.

Three in the morning. Making yourself a cup of coffee in the dark, using a flashlight when you pour the boiling water.

Some people dote on contemplating disasters.