I felt that chess... is a science in the form of a game... I consider myself a scientist. I wanted to be treated like a scientist.

I'm not a great science fiction fan myself. I probably feel that way about Westerns. Like I used to play Cowboys and Indians they can act out Will and the Robot.

Now Venus is an extremely hostile environment and as such presents a lot of challenges for a science fiction author who wants to create life there. However as I began to research it more thoroughly I found myself intrigued by the possibilities the world offers.

That's the show. it's like 5 minutes of science and then 10 minutes of me hurting myself.

When I find myself in the company of scientists I feel like a shabby curate who has strayed by mistake into a room full of dukes.

I wanted to be a dancer my whole life. And when I gave it up to act I always had a really sad part of myself that missed it and missed performing and missed being physical in that way.

The day Dick Cheney is going to run for president I'll kill myself. All we need is another liar... I think he'd like to run but it would be a sad day for the country if he does.

And for some reason when I'm sad I do listen to Leonard Cohen I do listen to Joni Mitchell. I do find myself going to the music that's actually reflecting my mood as opposed to sticking on Motown which might actually bring my mood up.

So many schools are getting rid of music programs and it's really sad because I know that when I started singing and stuff it was something that I always wanted to do and I never believed in myself to be able to do it.

'The Taxi Ride ' from my second album is one people want to hear a lot. I'm consciously trying to walk on the sunny side of the street to really lift myself into a place of greater positivity and that's a sad song.

I often feel like I have this spirit living inside of me always dressing in like short mini skirts... but then I start to discover myself. So there are eight spirits mischievous ones sad ones handsome ones wise ones and crazy ones.

Being on your own would be sad sick and weird. I don't trust myself. I need that balance.

Although some people think I am a romantic novelist I have always thought of myself as a rather gritty radical historian.

I don't live with people that's why my relationships last. I'm not romantic. Even when I was a teenager if somebody asked if they could hold my hand I'd say - no it's not heavy I can hold it myself thank you'.

I was also the romantic lead in The Boston Strangler - I was the only one that lived to tell the story - so I called myself the romantic lead.

I really really really want to do a silly romantic comedy where I can just have a crush on the guy trip over myself and laugh and be goofy. I just feel like all I do is cry sob and fight zombies and the bad guys.

If I were sufficiently romantic I suppose I'd have killed myself long ago just to make people talk about me. I haven't even got the conviction to make a successful drunkard.

When I was younger many of my romantic escapades were just a means of simply avoiding being by myself. I was afraid of feeling lonely afraid I wouldn't know what to say to myself.

I'm not about to talk about what's romantic in my life - I figure if you talk about it once then that's an open invitation for everyone to dig into your personal life even further. So I just keep my private life to myself.

The Romantic poets were the prototype ramblers and I've often found myself following in their footsteps - although perhaps not all of their footsteps since a typical walk for Samuel T. Coleridge might last two days and cover 145km.

Suddenly I've got an overwhelming desire to surround myself with the aura of classical and Romantic art.

If I despised myself it would be no compensation if everyone saluted me and if I respect myself it does not trouble me if others hold me lightly.

I have women coming up to me and saying: 'I love your character! She's so empowered. She takes control she gets what she wants.' That's another side of her. And I respect that in Joan. She says and does things that I would never allow myself to do.

If I am still doing what I'm doing and I still have respect in this town haven't done anything completely and utterly stupid then I'll be happy with myself.