When I write a book, I'm making it the best book I can.

Quote by Thomas Perry

Topics: Thomas Perry Quotes

The characters you refer to as predatory and unsavory are useful. They're the ones who...

The characters you refer to as predatory and unsavory are useful. They're the ones who...

Reading a novel in which all characters illustrate patience, hard work, chastity, and delayed gratification...

Reading a novel in which all characters illustrate patience, hard work, chastity, and delayed gratification...

All writers are mimics, and I'm not interested in picking up somebody else's style or...

All writers are mimics, and I'm not interested in picking up somebody else's style or...

I do try not to spend much time reading in the suspense genre.

I do try not to spend much time reading in the suspense genre.

Being comfortable isn't the way to learn to expand your abilities.

Being comfortable isn't the way to learn to expand your abilities.

I do want to write about Jane Whitefield again, but only when I have a...

I do want to write about Jane Whitefield again, but only when I have a...

I don't think the problem is that people don't read enough mystery books, but that...

I don't think the problem is that people don't read enough mystery books, but that...

Much of what we do in life has a huge component of luck.

Much of what we do in life has a huge component of luck.

You have very accurately described the difficulty of presenting my books on film: many of...

You have very accurately described the difficulty of presenting my books on film: many of...

Once you have invented a character with three dimensions and a voice, you begin to...

Once you have invented a character with three dimensions and a voice, you begin to...

It's important, I think, for a writer of fiction to maintain an awareness of the...

It's important, I think, for a writer of fiction to maintain an awareness of the...

I think we did a great job of putting together a program that would have...

I think we did a great job of putting together a program that would have...

I do hope to bring Jane Whitefield back before too long.

I do hope to bring Jane Whitefield back before too long.

I don't have dry seasons, because I don't allow them.

I don't have dry seasons, because I don't allow them.

I do like to explore evil characters in my books.

I do like to explore evil characters in my books.

What I look for in any character, good or bad, is whether I can hear...

What I look for in any character, good or bad, is whether I can hear...

If I don't have a project going, I sit down and begin to write something...

If I don't have a project going, I sit down and begin to write something...

Yes, in my books I do edit myself to keep from becoming the Village Explainer.

Yes, in my books I do edit myself to keep from becoming the Village Explainer.

But at the same time, the commonplace statement about them is true: every character is...

But at the same time, the commonplace statement about them is true: every character is...

I had been writing fiction since I was in eighth grade, because I loved it.

I had been writing fiction since I was in eighth grade, because I loved it.