I don't have a disregard for my reader in humor pieces.

Russian humor is to adapt or make some sense or nonsense out of the insanity of their lives.

There must be a magnificent disregard of your reader, for if he cannot follow you, there is nothing you can do about it.

A book tour is not a good opportunity to let your mind wander. You have to pay attention, remember salespeople's and interviewers' names, succinctly summarize your book in a 'selling' way, and so on.

I am an author, and like many in my profession, I am also a traveling salesman, going all over in an attempt to persuade people to spend twenty-five dollars on a hardcover book by me.

I'm one of those people who happen to like trees. I don't know why - I just do. As a kid, I loved to climb them. The distant, upper branches, especially, were celestial and alluring.