One of the great advantages of my life has been the opportunity to live in the states of Pennsylvania, California, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia and North Carolina. This has allowed me to feel the unique geographic and cultural fabric of these regions. In each case I have taken from the experience a great love and respect for the people, their indigenous traits, their values and the role they play in the great American experiment. (I am acutely aware of the differences between the American colonial heritage of Philadelphia and the adhoc culture of Hollywood.) I also lived in Japan for a year. In every one of my novels, no matter what the setting, you will find some expression of my love of country and its exceptionalism. It goes without saying that my readers will select their own indicators of literary style and qualities and will judge my work accordingly. That is implicit in the writing process. But my primary concern in every novel I write is that the characters who inhabit my stories, no matter what their nationality or ethnicity, possess that wonderful human quality that makes them achingly real and eminently memorable; people you cannot just walk away from because they have established a niche in your memory. I now live with my wife and two sons in Charlotte, N.C.