David Baldacci

Fiction is sort of a way to set the record straight, and let people at least believe that justice can be achieved and the right outcomes can occur. ”

As a lawyer, as a private citizen, you see a lot of injustice. You see a lot of people who should have been punished and are not, and people who were punished wrongfully are not vindicated. Fiction is sort of a way to set the record straight, and let people at least believe that justice can be achieved and the right outcomes can occur. ”

Most people associate reading with laying on the beach. They don't see that it's crucial for a democracy! ”

But if I worried too much about publishers' expectations, I'd probably paralyze myself and not be able to write anything. ”

The military is a very cool world to write about. I went down to Ft. Benning, Ga., for military training, and I learned a lot about soldiers and officers and why they joined up and what their life has been like. ”

People who have expertise just love to share it. That's human nature. ”

Why waste time trying to discover the truth, when you can so easily create it? ”

I'm ever curious about the world. I'm driven to go out and find new things to write about. Having a vivid imagination is also a plus. ”

I look for material that both interest me and challenges me. If I am drawn to the material and I have to work hard at it, the characters and the plots reflect the hours and hours of research. ”