Barbara Mertz

Getting an idea for a book is not the problem, but you need 300 ideas - an idea a page.

I am so tired of ruggedly handsome heroes. I don't know too many ruggedly handsome people who are necessarily nice people. In fact, the beautiful people have a big handicap because they rely too much on their appearance and don't bother to become interesting.

I have no writing habit. I work when I feel like it, and I work when I have to - mostly the latter.

I can do a book in three months if I spend all day, seven days a week at it and, in fact, I work better that way.

I've been reading ghost stories ever since I could read. I'm immensely curious about ghosts and UFOs and all that stuff, but I'm a very hard-headed person.

I do, however, think it would be difficult to write books I don't like to read.

Sometimes the characters develop almost without your knowing it. You find them doing things you hadn't planned on, and then I have to go back to page 42 and fix things. I'm not recommending it as a way to write. It's very sloppy, but it works for me.