Journalism is the protection between people and any sort of totalitarian rule. That's why my hero, admittedly a flawed one, is a journalist.

Building a mechanical device for its appearance is like putting lace on a bowling ball.

I believe my publisher has shown a great deal of faith in me over a lot of years but I'm not prepared to be so arrogant to say that the long-term literary value of my work would compensate them for a financial failure.

I don't sign contracts for my books.

I think people should be consumers of journalism.

I don't understand people whose gratification is a BMW. You don't know what joy is until you see a kid who was tortured get adopted by a family.

A kid in an abusive home has far fewer rights than any POW. There is no Geneva Convention for kids.

I'm in pursuit of what cannot be achieved: perfection.

Journalism is what maintains democracy. It's the force for progressive social change.

I don't take advances for my books.

Victimizers of children are the enemies of any so-called society.

The third person narrator, instead of being omniscient, is like a constantly running surveillance tape.

The idea that you're not a writer until you're published is a lie.

People are pushing against the fabric of society all the time.

My life is triage.