We kind of deny the stages of life.

I think America is just so in love with conflict.

The world of American politics is more contentious than it has ever been in my lifetime.

The only thing I shy away from is non-consensual violence. I can't write a story where someone is a simple victim because it's boring.

What I'm always trying to do with every book is to recreate the effect of the stories we heard as children in front of campfires and fireplaces - the ghost stories that engaged us.

Do you remember when you were 10 or 11 years old and you really thought your folks were the best? They were completely omniscient and you took their word for everything. And then you got older and you went through this hideous age when suddenly they were the devil, they were bullies, and they didn't know anything.

I like to get people moving and jumping. I think it's good to add more emotion and chaos.

People would ask me to autograph their bodies and then the next time I'd see them on tour they'd have my autograph tattooed. I decided I wouldn't write on people anymore, but I'd give them arms and legs and if they wanted those autographed I'd do that.

Maybe it's our sins that give God consolation when he finally has to give us cancer.

If anything I try to write something that would be more difficult to film. I tend to see film as competition and would like instead to do what books do best.

I believe in something. But I don't believe that anything can hold a grudge for long enough to condemn its creation to eternal punishment. Nobody can hold a grudge that long, even God.

There's a moment in every book when the book turns and it surprises me.

If you take my stuff apart, you'll find my choruses of repetitions are picked up almost verbatim from Kurt Vonnegut, and my distanced fracture quality is all from Amy Hempel, who's probably my favourite writer.

Discovering the 'impossible' ending to a new book makes me sick with joy and relief.

I am the cause of all my upsets. I am my worst enemy.

If you knew that your life was merely a phase or short, short segment of your entire existence, how would you live? Knowing nothing 'real' was at risk, what would you do? You'd live a gigantic, bold, fun, dazzling life. You know you would. That's what the ghosts want us to do - all the exciting things they no longer can.

Any 'artist' makes a living by expressing what others can't - because they're unaware of their feelings, they're too afraid to express those feelings, or they lack the skills to communicate and be understood.

There will always be an underground.

I take a lot of flak from the counter-establishment for selling out.

I don't do much more than organise other people's ideas and insights and thoughts, and sort of harvest them, and inventory them and present them.

I'm always trying to reach a transcendent point, a romantic point, but reach it in a really unconventional way, a really profane way. To get to that romantic, touching, heartbreaking place, but through a lot of acts of profanity.

I haven't shoplifted since I was 13.

Every time I write something, I think, this is the most offensive thing I will ever write. But no. I always surprise myself.

I'm only confrontational with my friends.