Your Writing Teacher ‏@WritingChiefIf u don't get ur protagonist dirty, ur readers will get bored. Readers are wild, cliff-jumping, mud-wrestling savages. Become their leader. (anonymous on Twitter)

Folk songs in general, I like. The old spooky Scottish folk songs.

For me, writing historical fiction is all about finding a balance between reading, traveling, looking, imagining, and dreaming.

A big book is a big misfortune.

The best use of imagination is creativity. The worst use of imagination is anxiety.

Winning is the best deodorant.

When John Kerry and Zell Miller and George Bush can agree on an issue, you know its got legs.

The common sense of mankind demands that law shall not stop with the punishment of petty crimes by little people. It must also reach men who possess themselves of great power.

I have a lot of wonderful people in my life - probably five, collectively - who I can tell everything to.

Compassion is the use of public funds to buy votes

The screams of a hurt woman were indistinguishable from everyday traffic.