When I Was A Teenager,

As A Reporter, You Develop An Ear For Dialogue Because It's Your Job To Capture It Accurately.

Las Vegas Was Like That. There Was A Visceral Attraction Here. The Bold Promise Of Money And Sex. But The First Was A Broken Promise, A Mirage, And The Second Was Fraught With Danger, Expense, Physical And Mental Risk. It Was Where The Real Gambling Took Place In This Town.

I've Learned Over The Years That Sometimes If You Ask The Same Question More Than Once You Get Different Responses.

I Would Change Very Little Because I Have Been Very, Very Fortunate. A Lot Of Things Fell Into Place For Me Simply By Happenstance. When That Happens You Don't Really Want To Change Anything, Even If You Could. Editorially My Regrets Are Few And For The Most Part Minor. I Look Back On My First Published Book And Think I Held On To It Too Long, Babied It Too Long.

Los Angeles Was The Kind Of Place Where Everybody Was From Somewhere Else And Nobody Really Droppped Anchor. It Was A Transient Place. People Drawn By The Dream, People Running From The Nightmare. Twelve Million People And All Of Them Ready To Make A Break For It If Necessary. Figuratively, Literally, Metaphorically -- Any Way You Want To Look At It -- Everbody In L.a. Keeps A Bag Packed. Just In Case.