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Most people - and particularly people whose lives have nothing to do with books at all - are intrigued by the idea that somebody wants to listen to them and get it right.

Finding people who get enormous pleasure from reading books is a more and more unusual experience, and so writers just so much want to be heard.

People - me included - want to get excited about books. Good books are a good thing.

When I write a book, I write a book for myself; the reaction is up to the reader. It's not my business whether people like or dislike it.

I don't perceive an audience at all when I write a book. It's pure self-indulgence.

For some of us, books are intrinsic to our sense of personal identity.

I'm constantly running across people who have never heard of books I think they should read.

I've been around long enough now that people who don't get into the outrageousness, the over-the-top stuff, they know not to buy my books anymore.