Victor Saville was bad news because he wanted money just to do one big picture.

The first chapter sells the book; the last chapter sells the next book.

The most important part of a story is the ending. No one reads a book to get to the middle.

I'm actually a softie. Tough guys get killed too early... I've got a full head of hair and don't wear eyeglasses.

Inspiration is an empty bank account.

Mike Hammer drinks beer because I can't spell Cognac.

Nobody reads a book to get to the middle.

If the public likes you, you're good. Shakespeare was a common, down-to-earth writer in his day.

Those big-shot writers ... could never dig the fact that there are more salted peanuts consumed than caviar.

I have no fans. You know what I got? Customers. And customers are your friends.

If I need something, I'll invent it.

Wagner has lovely moments but awful quarters of an hour.

The thing that I like about the way characters are written on the show these days is that nobody's perfect. Everyone has made a lot of mistakes and bad choices.

All other days have either disappeared into darkness and oblivion or not yet emerged from it. Today is the only day there is.

What would I do without you? I'd die of stress and depression before nature killed me.

Even though our lives wander, our memories remain in one place.

To sing a simple round is truly an enlightening experience.

All the vested interests and people who profit by war will - with the journals they control - resolutely oppose any reduction of armaments.

('Stairway to Heaven' is) a nice pleasant, well-meaning naive little song, very English. It's not the definitive Led Zeppelin song. 'Kashmir' is.

I'm a bit of a coward, and lazy, oddly enough.

One of the last courses I taught was on the Russian short story, which I love.