I don't go to these places where there are belly dancers and this and that.

This was one of the places people told me to go, it was one the big trips that you should see: Alaska.

I thought, this is a good sign. There's something perfect and right about this.

I, uh, don't think I'm, y'know, so different than your average, y'know, average.

Imagining what the possibilities are versus what is right in front of me has been the second biggest factor in defining my career.

Cops can deprive people of their freedom. They are sworn to serve and protect. They work for us and they belong to, basically, a service industry, laboring in conditions that are sometimes threatening, often dangerous yet interesting.

I think it's nice to know that people in the industry are paying attention to all of the hard work you've done throughout the years and rewarding you for it. It reminds you to keep doing it, to keep pushing yourself, and to always remain that way.

To have a successful writing career, you must be willing to sacrifice a great deal. The book, the deadline come first before anything else. Writing is not a job; it is a lifestyle, and it is a roller-coaster ride of highs and lows. You need self-confidence and an iron carapace.