In those days I was new to covers; merely felt pleased that a story of mine had been honored. I later met Rogers who did some of my early covers and I was impressed with him.

Chum was a British boy's weekly which, at the end of the year was bound into a single huge book; and the following Christmas parents bought it as Christmas presents for male children.

You have to remember that I was a bright but simple fellow from Canada who seldom, if ever, met another writer, and then only a so-called literary type that occasionally sold a story and meanwhile worked in an office for a living.

It came about as follows: over the years when I was involved in dianetics, I wrote the beginnings of many stories. I would get an idea, and then write the beginning, and then never touch it again.

In those days I was new to covers; merely felt pleased that a story of mine had been honored. I later met Rogers who did some of my early covers and I was impressed with him.

I don't recall having any self-awareness about the intricacy of my stories.

I figure that that has a ten year cycle. At the end of that ten years, I began to get worried that I would run into what is known as the writer's block, the feeling of not being able to do these things.

Recruiting Station was a story that came as the result of many anxious awakenings during many nights.

It's difficult for me to feel that a solid page without the breakups of paragraphs can be interesting. I break mine up perhaps sooner than I should in terms of the usage of the English language.

In a sense, there's a great truth to that, but, also I was a great reader.

My theory was that what I had to do was make a study of human behavior.

I had casually rented an apartment that cost $75 a month because I expected my writing to pay my way.

I first read science fiction in the old British Chum annual when I was about 12 years old.

Well, first of all, going off with dianetics was based upon a thought of mine.

The encouragement I got from Campbell was a quick check and praise. Once the Space Beagle was launched on its mission, it seemed natural for it to breed additional thoughts.

But, somewhere in there, I did have the thought that this really fits in with my thinking about what I wanted to do; with what has to be done by a writer in order to stay alive as a writer.

The right to buy weapons is the right to be free.

I know a lot of law officers, and every single one of them faces a moment - usually after about three hours on the job - when they realise that there's no connection between law and justice. The law, as an institution, avoids justice, subverts it, just as often as it sees it done.

It slows down grocery shopping, because so many women at the store watch the show. I always end up talking to two or three people every time I go to Ralphs. It's fun.

I want to paint. That is probably going to sound so pretentious coming from someone who's been a musician.

Frankly, our adversaries are emboldened by the lack of American leadership in the world, and our friends and our allies, they have lost trust in us.

Poorly paid labor is inefficient labor, the world over.

Nobody's perfect, and everybody plays the heel and the baby face at times in real life.

Any relationship should have love, and if there is no love, it is better to call off a relationship. People say that love happens only once, but I don't believe in it because for me, if one relationship doesn't work, you should move on and seek love in another relationship. Who knows; you might find love in the second relationship.

I'm from Tullahoma, TN which is an hour south of Nashville, and I grew up and wanted to be like Garth Brooks, so I moved to Nashville when I was 18 to chase a dream.

I developed a group of friends around me that were all as crazy as I was about wanting to make films.

Because these show are live, script pages are being switched during the program and new commercial teases might be yelled in your ear with just enough time to scribble them on scrap paper before reading them.

I wish the rock 'n' roll scene to be back in.

The memoirs that have come out of Africa are sometimes startlingly beautiful, often urgent, and essentially life-affirming, but they are all performances of courage and honesty.

The most important thing is friends, family, and the people around you. That's what really makes you happy.

I wrote a fan e-mail to Michael Chabon.

I base myself in African-derived music. Blues is one of the modern forms of African music.

The truths of the Scriptures are so marked and inimitable, that the inventor would be more of a miraculous character than the hero.

Between frivolity and intentional mischief there is little difference, none in the results.

I don't get tired of hearing that somebody liked my work.

Have you ever once in your life reached out to touch infinity?

Self-consciousness is really a form of egotism.

Every child in South Florida can dance. And every child there is amazing.

I really detest movies like 'Indecent Proposal' and 'Pretty Woman' because they send a message to women that sleeping with a rich man is the ultimate goal and really that's such a small part of it.

The wisest advice I ever received regarding the kitchen came from my mother: 'Do the dishes while you're cooking.'

I believe people leave a theater bonding with characters. Story is the vessel that carries character. Comedy is a very important component of expressing character.