I could imagine that a character could do almost anything at any time, and that was the freedom of the whole thing. But keeping track of what was plausible for certain characters [was the challenge].

Fiction demands structures and recognizable shapes. Big surprises only draw attention to the writer's hand.

The better we are at accepting the limits of our world, the more easily we can embrace what we have.

Being with a small publisher has been huge. They bat for me for everything.

A story is built on characters and reasons.

I'm never going to write a whole paragraph describing what a living room looks like.

I used to do jacket design, and I'm very conscious of covers, and probably meddle more than other authors would.

Leadership is the art of intentional living.

I trust people with my eyes and ears wide open.

The weak fall, but the strong shall rise up as a phoenix else we will be no more than a pile of ash.

Far more has been accomplished for the welfare and progress of mankind by preventing bad actions than by doing good ones.

The greater the pressure, the greater the treasure.

I'm not like a real person. I love being artificial. I think there's a little magic in the fact that I'm so totally real, but look so artificial at the same time.

There is nothing worse than a man in the throws of an ether bender.

A theologian who does not love art, poetry, music and nature can be dangerous. Blindness and deafness toward the beautiful are not incidental; they necessarily are reflected in his theology.

Color, like everything else concerning visual expression, usually boils down to a gift, an innate sensibility and sensitivity. Ultimately, artists develop their own palette and color sense.

Now I'm making a comeback into the industry. Everyone is receiving me with open arms.