I spend a huge amount of time writing about the book instead of writing the actual text. — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
One of the epiphanies I had was that I got into publishing because I love literature. — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
If you can't figure out how to make the beginning of your book compelling, you're probably not writing a compelling book. — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
Although I did admire David Foster Wallace's final unfinished novel about boredom, I'm no DFW, and I want my books to be… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
Every book that doesn't first have to get past a gatekeeper or two, or 10, before being put in front of the… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
I try to construct each of my novels around one central theme - core tensions shared by the characters. — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
Whatever's good about your book should be good on page 1, or very few editors are going to get to page 2. — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
At home, I tend to read print, and most of the time, that means recently released hardcover novels. I enjoy the feel… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
A writer can spend a decade working obsessively on a novel, but in the commerce of publishing, many of the most important… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
There's so much published by so many different publishers. Most of the time, I don't have to confront that, but walking into… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
As an unpublished, nonprofessional writer working on my first novel, I nevertheless had access to extremely talented people who would help make… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
I had been very dismissive of popular fiction - in fact, I'd refused to read it. And then I started working on… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
I use an e-reader when I'm traveling: I love carrying dozens of books on a small lightweight device, and I'm still amazed… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
There are plenty of paths to becoming a writer, but I think the most reliable ones involve total commitment: writing for magazines… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
Eventually, I realised that I wanted to try to create something myself, and that's what writing novels is. Not because I wanted… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
I worked in the book publishing business for nearly two decades before I turned my attention to writing, first with a couple… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
Before I wrote my first novel, 'The Expats,' I spent nearly two decades at various arms of publishing houses such as Random… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
I know that 'The Accident' is not a completely accurate reflection of the reality of the book publishing world, which, like nearly… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
Having 'The Expats' not be 'wholesale-y' rejected by the world made it possible for me to write the second book and have… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
After years of working on books, I eventually took a more business-oriented job, for the same sorts of reasons that most people… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
As a book editor, you need to pitch every one of your books again and again, dozens of times, for months on… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
“They were ticking off items on a to-do list that was magnet-attached to the fridge. There were nineteen items on the list. They'd crossed… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
Lexicon grabbed me with the opening lines, and never let go. An absolutely thrilling story, featuring an array of compelling characters in an eerily… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
“You talking about computer weaknesses?" "Yes. But also human weaknesses." "Meaning what?" "Meaning the types of weaknesses that make humans let down their guard.… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
“She didn’t want to give the murder-pornography frame by frame. Didn’t want to recite her route across Manhattan, the length of the knife blade… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
In 'The Travelers,' everyone is defined by his or her relationship to work. I put each character on a different rung of the ladder:… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
“It was impossible to understand how brief it is. It seemed like youth would last so long; it would last forever. But it's just… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
“Back before her life had begun to unravel. Or before she knew it was unraveling.” — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
“I thought you make your living as a thief." "No," he said. "That’s what I do for fun.” — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
There's so much published by so many different publishers. Most of the time, I don't have to confront that, but walking into a conference… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
“Circumstantial evidence may not be enough to convict. But it’s almost always enough to reveal the truth. Isn’t it?” — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
“It hasn't taken long to find herself thinking that people are watching. And that they always have been, all the time. It was only… — Chris Pavone Copy Share Image
