Jonathan Kellerman: Life is like a prism. What you see depends on how...

All of us are like locks. No matter how strong the bolt, there’s always a key out there that opens it.

Jonathan Kellerman

locks strong keys

To trust someone is to take the greatest risk of all. (180)

Jonathan Kellerman

risk

Therapist’s dilemma: those who need help the most, run the farthest from it.

Jonathan Kellerman

helping running needs

I spent the first few years of my life in a smallish community in Queens. Back in those early days, kids could roam the streets with relatively little supervision and one place I visited frequently was the local library. This particular branch was little more than a storefront but to me it was an alternative universe where I could explore my interests and receive kind, informative answers to my questions from the wonderful librarians.

Jonathan Kellerman

queens kids years

40 Words for Sorrow is brilliant-one of the finest crime novels I've ever read. Giles Blunt writes with uncommon grace, style and compassion and he plots like a demon. This book has it all-unforgettable characters, beautiful language, throat-constricting suspense.

Jonathan Kellerman

writing beautiful book

The characters emerge from my rather twisted mind. That's another enjoyable part of the job making stuff up.

Jonathan Kellerman

mind jobs character

It didn't feel difficult at the time because I was so charged up about both books. Afterward, however, I was pretty tired. In a good way, like after a great workout.

Jonathan Kellerman

tired workout book

The science of psychotherapy is knowing what to say, the art is knowing when to say it. (36)

Jonathan Kellerman

art-is knowing art

Whatever fame a novelist my attain, it's always kind of an anonymous one. I can go anywhere, and no one knows who I am.

Jonathan Kellerman

novelists who-i-am kind

His experience and training should have taught him that families are the cauldrons in which violence is brewed. (144)

Jonathan Kellerman

training violence should-have

At first, when a child meets something that scares him, the fear grows, like a wave. But when he goes into the water and swims - gets used to the water - the wave grows small. If we pull the child away when the wave is high, he never sees that, never learns how to swim and remains afraid. If he gets a chance to feel strong, in control, that's called coping. When he copes, he feels better.

Jonathan Kellerman

feel-better strong children

Without sounding pompous, I really do feel that I have a set of standards that I must adhere to, even leaving aside considerations of what the readers expect.

Jonathan Kellerman

consideration standards leaving

Time spent researching varies from book to book. Some novels require months, even years of research, others very little. I try to do most of my research before I begin but inevitably questions emerge during the writing.

Jonathan Kellerman

writing book years

I don't practice, but I am still officially in paediatrics. I keep in touch with journals, and I have a very good data bank of medical information and there is a key thing for a writer knowing where to go. I know where to go to get the information that I need.

Jonathan Kellerman

data keys practice

Each novel is harder than its predecessor because I must work harder at not repeating myself. However, I enjoy the challenge. This is the greatest job in the world.

Jonathan Kellerman

hard-work challenges jobs

I would never have been a novelist without working as a psychologist...it was a great education in human nature.

Jonathan Kellerman

psychologist novelists human-nature

Optimism is denial for chumps with no life experience". "What's pessimism?" I said. "Religion without God.

Jonathan Kellerman

life-experience denial optimism

Government is like junior high. Your status depends upon whom you're able to persecute.

Jonathan Kellerman

government sarcastic humorous

The stress of grad school can drive anyone temporarily mad.

Jonathan Kellerman

mad stress school

Just because others have it worse doesn’t mean you have to suffer in silence.

Jonathan Kellerman

silence suffering mean

Life is like a prism. What you see depends on how you turn the glass.