It's hard to write a war story without thinking about the 'Iliad.' Because the 'Iliad' knows everything about war.

I wanted to write about the Korean War, but I had no entry into it that made the kind of sense it needs to make for a novelist.

I have a hard time revising sentences, because I spend an inordinate amount of time on each sentence, and the sentence before it, and the sentence after it.

We read and remember certain writers because they offer distinctive voices and perspectives, because they've given themselves over completely and passionately to their obsessions while vigorously ignoring everything else.

I write on a computer. On breaks, I'll make myself green tea. I don't want something too caffeinated. I guess I don't believe in chemical enhancement of my writing. Just slight, but nothing crazy.

One of the ready advantages of writing a road or quest story is that it mirrors the experience of writing a novel.