I sat down with a yellow legal pad and began writing 'A Time to Kill.' Had no idea what I was doing. It became, over a period of several years, a secret little hobby nobody knew about except my wife, because she was reading chapter by chapter. John Grisham More Quotes by John Grisham More Quotes From John Grisham I can't change overnight into a serious literary author. You can't compare apples to oranges. William Faulkner was a great literary genius. I am not. John Grisham orange apples genius A riveting, exciting and thoroughly compelling tale of adventure. John Grisham tales exciting adventure In one long glorious acknowledgment of failure, he laid himself bare before God. John Grisham acknowledgment glorious long I struggle with racism every day John Grisham racism struggle The first thing my family did when we moved was join the local church. The second was to go to the library and get library cards. John Grisham library church cards He's my client, and he's counting on me. I'll take him, warts and all. John Grisham warts counting clients So many book sections in newspapers and magazines used to be lively and vibrant places. Now they are gone. You just don't see many reviews anymore. I can't control that, so I don't worry about it. I just try to do what I do and write books that people find every entertaining. I don't worry about the critics. John Grisham worry writing book I stopped reading William Faulkner because it's hard work. I want to read a good writer, but I also want to read something where the pages are going to move along. That's what I want. It doesn't have to be a thriller or a mystery. Just something where I get caught up in the story. John Grisham hard-work reading moving One thing that drives me nuts... well, let me ask you, when writers write do they not use quotation marks anymore? John Grisham quotations let-me writing Stephen King told me a long time ago, when he gave me some advice about the movies. He said to take the money up front and expect it to be something different than the book and if you don't like that don't deal with Hollywood. But if you take the money, shut up and don't criticize the film because you sold it. The movie doesn't change a word of the book. John Grisham advice long book There are few writers who, if they publish anything, I am going to buy it: Ian McEwan, Scott Turow, Pat Conroy - he was a buddy of mine and I always read his stuff. Also: Harlan Coben, Elmore Leonard, John Le Carre, but he's pushing ninety. John Grisham publish buddy I remember Stephen King did a fundraiser one time with J.K. Rowling and he was very impressed with her. But we talk a lot about publishing, bookselling, and book writing. He's been around for ten years longer than me and was a bestseller right off the bat. And he's seen and done everything. It's rare to be with somebody who has been through all of that. John Grisham done writing book I don't even know what a serious literary critic is. John Grisham critics serious The mother of a trophy wife is not automatically a trophy mother-in-law. John Grisham wife law mother The coffee arrives, and we backslide into what lawyers do best---talking about other lawyers. John Grisham talking-about-others coffee talking I've written 17 novels, and I've found out that fiction can't keep up with real life. John Grisham real inspirational fiction Because I was single, there was a chance I was a homosexual. Because I went to Syracuse, wherever that was, then I was probably a Communist. Or worse, a Liberal. Because I was from Memphis, I was a subversive intent on embarrassing Ford County. John Grisham memphis communist chance We cuss them because we're not good enough for them. We hate them because they wouldn't look at us, couldn't be bothered to give us an interview. I guess there's a Trent & Brent in every city, in every field. I didn't make it and I don't belong, so I'll just go through life hating them. John Grisham hate cities giving Ricky had taught me a few cuss words. I usually practiced them in the woods by the river, then prayed for forgiveness as soon as I was done. John Grisham woods done rivers Four rehabs meant a fifth was somewhere down the road. John Grisham fifth rehab four