I sometimes use some personality traits to fashion part of a character. Most of my characters are composites of either people I know or people in the public eye.

If everyone howled at every injustice, every act of barbarism, every act of unkindness, then we would be taking the first step towards a real humanity.

We're all pilgrims on the same journey but some pilgrims have better road maps.

I like the process of pencil and paper as opposed to a machine. I think the writing is better when it's done in handwriting.

There are Mafia families that have bought magnificent houses on the North Shore, although not yet the great estates because they don't want that kind of high profile.

I generally unwind by having dinner with close friends.

Somehow our devils are never quite what we expect when we meet them face to face.

Everyone looked pensive, which is good cover-up for clueless.

How you handle life depends a lot on how you handle plan B, or if you have a plan B.

…made me promise to cut down on the drinking and swearing, which I have. Unfortunately, this has left me dim-witted and nearly speechless.

Lawrence Kelter is an exciting new novelist, who reminds me of an early Robert Ludlum.

I usually plan to read a book for a half-hour before bed, but then I end up staying awake until 3 A.M. to finish it. Fortunately, my dog doesn't mind when I keep the bedside lamp on.

I've never been a passive person. I've always felt that, if you think something should be changed, it's your responsibility to actively pursue that change.

History is the memory of things said and done.

When you realize how perfect [or at least better than it could be] everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.

When you talk about Islamic terror. You go, oh, you're an Islamic - you're Islamophobic because you besmirching all Muslims. No. I'm talking about Islamic terror.

I try to fit in workouts whenever I can.

Studs Lonigan, on the verge of fifteen, and wearing his first suit of long trousers, stood in the bathroom with a Sweet Caporal pasted on his mug.

This is what the things can teach us: to fall, patiently to trust our heaviness. Even a bird has to do that before he can fly.

People build themselves up before you even have to deal with them.

What I like about the 'Underworld' thing is that it's a mix of cool genres, as well as creating its own message.