Once he became a series character, I made the conscious choice that he would never act like a series character, never wink at the reader, never pull his punches. Better for him, better for me. Donald E. Westlake More Quotes by Donald E. Westlake More Quotes From Donald E. Westlake A grifter's got an irresistible urge to be the guy who's wise. There's nothin' to whipping a fool. Hell, fools are made to be whipped. But to take another pro. Even your partner, who knows you and has his eye on you. That's a score! No matter what happens. Donald E. Westlake eye wise cheating Hoke Moseley is a magnificently battered hero. Willeford brings him to us lean and hard and brand-new. Donald E. Westlake battered brands hero The trouble with real life is, there's no reset button. Donald E. Westlake buttons reset-button real What advice I would give to anybody about anything. Life is a slow-motion avalanche, and none of us are steering." (When asked in an interview about what question he's tired of being asked.) Donald E. Westlake tired advice giving My work schedule has changed over the years. The one constant is, when at work on a novel, I try to work seven days a week, so as not to lose touch with that world. Within that, I'm flexible on hours and output. Donald E. Westlake schedules trying years Christmas shows us the ties that bind us together, threads of love and caring, woven in the simplest and strongest way within the family. Donald E. Westlake ties caring together If you leave me here," the guy on the floor said, "he'll kill me tomorrow morning." Parker looked at him. "So you've still got tonight," he said. Donald E. Westlake tonight guy morning Sorry; I have no space left for advice. Just do it. Donald E. Westlake space sorry advice I don't think I would have been a good architect. Really, I have thought about this from time to time, and I might have wound up like my father, who never did find that which he could devote his life to. He sort of drifted from job to job. He was a traveling salesman, he was a bookkeeper, he was an office manager, he was here, there, there. And however enthusiastic he was at the beginning, his job would bore him. If I hadn't had the writing, I think I might have replicated what he was doing, which would not have been good. Donald E. Westlake writing father thinking When the guy with asthma finally came in from the fire escape, Parker rabbit-punched him and took his gun away. Donald E. Westlake guy gun fire I loved it, but social reality impeded. Now I wander in here at 9 in the morning or so, and come back for a while in the afternoon. I am a very lenient boss. Donald E. Westlake boss morning reality My mother believed in all superstitions, plus she made some up. Donald E. Westlake superstitions mother made One of our continuing myths was summed up in Huckleberry Finn: Our escape, what we think of as our escape, is that we can always light out for the territories. Well, we really can't, not anymore, but that's part of the American character - that belief that at any moment, I could just drop the coffee cup and disappear. And it makes for a different self-image and a different story, in a way. Donald E. Westlake coffee character thinking New York doesn't exactly have neighborhoods, the way most cities do. What it has is closer to distinct and separate villages, some of them existing on different continents, some of them existing in different centuries, and many of them at war with one another. English is not the primary language in many of these villages, but the Roman alphabet does still have a slight edge. Donald E. Westlake cities new-york war Eyes wide and blank as the buttons on a first Communion coat. Donald E. Westlake buttons eye firsts Writing is flat, so if you only have part of one eye working, you still can do the job. It's just that you sit there and you're angry, which doesn't help. Donald E. Westlake eye writing helping What did Jesus Christ say to the Teamsters? 'Do nothing till I get back. Donald E. Westlake jesus-christ jesus christ If Chester had a failing, it was that he believed people were what they thought they were. Donald E. Westlake failing ifs people Santa Claus is a god. He's no less a god than Ahura Mazda, or Odin, or Zeus. Think of the white beard, the chariot pulled through the air by a breed of animal which doesn't ordinarily fly, the prayers (requests for gifts) which are annually mailed to him and which so baffle the Post Office, the specially-garbed priests in all the department stories. And don't gods reflect their creators' society? The Greeks had a huntress goddess, and gods of agriculture and war and love. What else would we have but a god of giving, of merchandising, and of consumption? Donald E. Westlake prayer animal war I do bookstore signings, and it seems to me that I get a variety of men and women, more women than I'd expect, and grown-ups among my readers. Donald E. Westlake men-and-women variety men
