Quote

My experiences in the military, the private sector, and as a congressional staffer were at times almost enough to drive me crazy. Writing offered the all-too-often-cited creative outlet.

Read the editorial page of your local paper. It introduces you to opinion and can be terrifically provocative and perhaps a great motivating force for you to get involved in your community, regardless of your political ideology.

As a writer, I have readers who will have a range of political views. I don't think they look to me for political guidance.

I have run across characters in my political career that have that singular focus of being someone, being in a position of power.

I'm involved in issues, and issues are about grass-roots politics.

I am not a political writer. I agree with Stieg Larsson and Henning Mankell, who are social writers. I can't write in that fashion. I am not good enough for that. What I am interested in is family dramas and why we are doing bad things to each other and what our motives are.

I think a lot of the best ideas come from the grassroots; I'm someone who does not like a bunker mentality and does not like groupthink.

I am not a politics wonk. I like the idea of my writing reflecting more about who I am or other people.

I entered politics from a completely different background from other people in this field, and that has helped me to see and deal with things differently.

I was a political journalist; I came to writing novels through an interest in politics and power.