Dan Simmons

But I think, and hope, that the novels can be understood and enjoyed as science fiction, on their own terms.

It's odd how violence and humor so often go together, isn't it?

Writing, I'm convinced, should be a subversive activity - frowned on by the authorities - and not one cooed over and praised beyond common sense by some teacher.

They said I couldn't play anything but an English boy. I knew I could. So I went to New York.

I didn't want to be famous. I just wanted to earn enough money to have a nice life and enjoy acting.