WSJ: How does the notion of aging and death affect the work you do? Has it become more urgent?

Cormac McCarthy: Your future gets shorter and you recognize that. In recent years, I have had no desire to do anything but work and be with [son] John. I hear people talking about going on a vacation or something and I think, what is that about? I have no desire to go on a trip. My perfect day is sitting in a room with some blank paper. That’s heaven. That’s gold and anything else is just a waste of time.

WSJ: How does that ticking clock affect your work? Does it make you want to write more shorter pieces, or to cap things with a large, all-encompassing work?

Cormac McCarthy: I’m not interested in writing short stories. Anything that doesn’t take years of your life and drive you to suicide hardly seems worth doing.

Excerpted from John Jurgensen’s “Hollywood’s Favorite Cowboy” at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704576204574529703577274572.html