I'd never heard of Robert Hellenga; I didn't think a book with the name 'Snakewoman of Little Egypt' would hold any appeal for me at all.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
It's both Indiana Jones and 'National Geographic' that inspired me to be an Egyptologist.
Many people have compared me to the Victorian adventure writer, Rider Haggard. I accept that as a compliment. As a boy growing up in Central Africa I read all Haggard's African novels.
It's probably true that everyone has a book in them, although it may not be a very good one.
I've loved all my books, but I will admit that 'The Man from Stone Creek' holds a very special place in my heart.
I'd never read 'Lord of the Rings' until I was asked to play Gandalf, so I didn't really know it was a frightfully famous book.
'The Satanic Verses' was denied the ordinary life of a novel. It became something smaller and uglier: an insult.
Being an author of banned books is cool, I've decided.
It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, or who had ever been alive.
I have written a lot about snakes. There's something pretty primordial about it.
Every great story seems to begin with a snake.