I would certainly want to have a completelymixed audience. I think at first glance, one mightthink that my fiction may be boys' fiction,because it's outrageous and full of science andbody fluids, etc, etc. I think if one gave asuperficial glance to it, one might say it's morefun for boys. But it is absolutely not the case.It's not even that I'm saying I don't want it tobe the case. Obviously I don't want it to be thecase. I very much want to have hundreds of collegegirls ouside my hotel room when I come to Boston.

But I've noticed as I've been on this tour thatwomen love this stuff. And in fact, when I read,there's a certain part of my program that mypublicists have told me not to read because itmakes women squirm. And so obviously, I'vecontinued to read it. But I've noticed that itmakes women squirm, but with pleasure, not becausethey're uncomfortable with it. I have--I knowthis, just from mail I get from the people thatbuy my books--a completely equally mixed audience,in terms of gender. There are people that say thatyou have to fall within a certain age range topick up on all the references in my book, and thatmay be true. But I'm not writing the way I'mwriting to express any particular generation. I'mwriting the way I write because it's really theonly way of writing that interests me. In a sense,it's the only way I can write because of thecultural forces that have warped my personalityover the past 36 years.

Those being?

Those being a fairly rigorous education inclassical literature, a life-long openness toelectronic media and its influences, liketelevision, rock n' roll, television commercials,movies, newspapers, magazines. I am omnivorousabout all of these things. I can't devour enoughnewspapers and magazines in a day, and I've alwaysbeen this way. It's not something I'm doingbecause it's a professional necessity. So I thinkthe reason that I'm becoming as popular as I amamong this generation is because I am working in astyle that allows these sorts of forces to comeinto play as much as I do.

What's your opinion towards television?

My opinion towards television is that it's beenas crucial a part of my environment as trees werea part of Thoreau's environment. I don't thinktelevision is wonderful. I don't think it's amenace to society. I just think it's been acritical part of my world, and it would beintellectually dishonest of me not to allow itsinfluence into my work. And I think the thing,more than anything, that interests me, in terms oftelevision, is the formal grammar of television,its speed, the kinetic way that televisionbombards us with energy, the remarkable ability oftelevision to blast you with thousands of imagesin 30, 60, 90 seconds. I'm more interested in thestyle of television in its pure form. I'm muchmore interested in that than shows that are ontelevision. I really don't watch the shows thatare on television. I have no idea what the networklineup is this season. The kinds of things I watchon television tend to be programs that most purelyexpress television form, things like CNN, HomeShopping Network, ESPN, you know, the sportschannel. I have developed this fascination withthe women's bowling league.

Since when?

This has been happening over the past year. Ieven know the players now. I don't need to see thelittle caption under their pictures anymore.

What's the source of this fascination? Is itcompletely random or something deeply rooted?

I don't know. There's some erotic component inwatching a woman sitting there trying not to lookat her opponent, who's bowling.

I see. Not.

You know what I think also it is? I've alwayshad this fantasy about spending a year on theprofessional bowling league, but doing it in thefollowing way: I wouldn't have my own ball orshoes, so at the beginning of the program, they'dhave to wait 10 minutes while I get my shoes andgo pick out a ball. I think that would be such acool way for TV to cover bowling.

What intoxicant do you find is best forliterary inspiration?

Testosterone. And, whatever naturalneurotransmitters one has up there. I have neverwritten anything of any value under the influenceof alcohol or any drug.

Well, that's very family values-oriented ofyou.