“How many times in life have I been advised to "toe the line," to "tone it down," to stop "pushing the envelope"? As a journalist, I had to keep my opinions to myself for 30 years. I thought that, as an artist, I'd have the liberty to express my views. Now I'm told that doing so might hurt my readership.

I'm so idealistic, as I said elsewhere on FB today, that I think people ought to read my books because they're good. Period.”