“If you focus on the humanity of your stories, your characters, then the horror will be stronger, scarier. Without the humanity, the horror becomes nothing more than a tawdry parlor trick. All flash and no magic, and worst of all, no heart.”

“If you treat your characters like people, they'll reward you by being fully developed individuals.”

“Nothing's a better cure for writer's block than to eat ice cream right out of the carton.”

“When you're writing what you love, it's the most fun you can have with your clothing still on, unless of course, you write naked.”

“You can be a writer who doesn't read everyday. But you're not fooling anyone. It shows, rather embarrassingly, in your work.”

“Writers often torture themselves trying to get the words right. Sometimes you must lower your expectations and just finish it.”

“It’s hard to land a devastating jab/cross/hook/uppercut combo to your reader’s imagination when you’re telegraphing your punches.”