Last time I promised (or threatened, if you prefer) to provide my favorite quotations from Left Coast Crime, held in February in San Francisco. With no further ado...
"Sometimes I think I write books in order to research." Connie Berry
"A short story is like a quick jab to the nose." - Vera Chan
"Scottish marriage counseling: He'll do. Shut up." - Catriona McPherson
"The last ten pages of all my books I wrote the day they were due." - Wendall Thomas
"My second biggest fear is that I might spill food on myself, because I always thought in case of a famine I could boil my clothes." - Sara Paretsky
"My low expectations have been fulfilled." - Paul Levine
"When I'm bored with a character I murder them." - Gordon Jack
"I'm a historical crime novelist and I also write historical crime novels." SJ Rozan
"It's very satisfying to sit at a passive-aggressive meeting and think 'I could take you down.'" - Vera Chan
"My character's name is Joy because she's utterly joyless." - Susan Sherman
"In revision you take out everything that isn't the book." - Hank Phillippi Ryan
"My finishing school was a waste of money." - Catriona McPherson
"I thought [Saul] Bellow's writing would have been better if he ever had a real job and didn't have women supporting him all his life." - Sara Paretsky
"If you have a resolution it's commercial. If you don't it's literary." - Vera Chan
"I was amazed at how similar the social dynamics are between retirement homes and high school." Gordon Jack
"Taxidermy is always funny." - Catriona McPherson
"You should imagine sending your story to the editor one sentence at a time." - Tom Andes
"Since I'm last I'm told I can talk as long as I want, right? Chapter One..." - Jennifer van der Kleut
"The smart money is always on Goliath." - C.R. Foster
Oh, and chag Pesach sameach to those who celebrate.
I love these, especially Michael Bracken's on the short story and Sara Paretsky's evaluation of Saul Bellow (whose books I almost never finished).
ReplyDeleteYup, I'm about to mention Sara P on Saul Bellow, too, Steve!!! A truly inspiring list of quotes, Rob - thank you. Also, "My low expectations have been fulfilled." and Scottish marriage counceling (C McP, who can always be counted on)
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