Basically, all women are nurturers and healers, and all men are mental patients to varying degrees.
Kate had never been married, so she had no way of knowing if I was a normal husband. This has been good for our marriage.
There is no terra incognito left.
I think it’s more difficult now to write a spy thriller with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Many authors have tried, but few have succeeded in capturing the interest of readers.
Writing doesn’t leave much time for hobbies, unless you consider that I began writing as a hobby and have made the hobby into a profession.
You have to go out of your way as a suspense novelist to find situations where the protagonists are somewhat helpless and in real danger.
I’ve always been fascinated by the Gold Coast. The homes themselves are spectacular, unlike anything you’ll see other than in Newport, Bar Harbor or Palm Beach. It’s a very special area that, because of local demographics, is not going to survive much longer.
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.
There are a lot of books about the passing of the English aristocracy, but the vast majority of Long Islanders don’t understand their own backyard. It’s a private preserve.
Stephen King once told me he liked my writing. And that was great.
I do write my manuscripts by hand, in pencil on legal pads. Then they are typed on a word processor by my typist.
I thought to myself, what is everyone’s worst fear? Nuclear terrorism in America.
I had a very strong desire to be successful at something.
Even the most radical Islamic terrorist would not want to see the revered holy city of Medina go up. It would be like losing the Vatican in Rome.
I try to end every chapter with an air of suspense. I try to leave the reader wanting to turn the page.
I don’t like mysteries, which is why I want to solve them. It bothers me that there are things I don’t know.
As with real estate, what matters with bullet holes is location, location, location.
This place is so small you have to go outside to change your mind.
From the unknown, through the unknown, to the unknown. Put your hand into the hand of God. It will be all right.
I only drink a little, but when I do, I become a different person, and that person drinks a lot.