Science fiction at its best should be crazy and dangerous, not sane and safe.

As many authors have said, if the writer is not surprised by events, then chances are that the reader will not be either, and grow bored.

The emotional tone or affect of the tale should be hot and engaged, not remote and dispassionate.

That was asking a lot of my readers, I realized, but I was trying to write the novel I would most enjoy decoding.

It was as unsatisfying as a handjob from someone wearing an oven mitt.