All four of us were young and undaunted and our smiles were so strong that it made me smile even then on the couch, with a kind of loss.

Not a beauty queen. Not one of those. You know the ones. She was real.

It is early, early morning. It's that time when it's still dark but you know the day is coming. Blue is bleeding through black. Stars are dying.

My own eyes try to sleep, but they don't. They stay wide awake as time snarls forward and silence drops down, like measured thought.

Because you don't learn anything unless you can find the patience to read. TV takes that away from you. It robs you from your mind.

The pages and the words are my world, spread out before your eyes and for your hand to touch. Vaguely, I can see you face looking down into me, as I look back. Do you see my eyes?

A couple of them were school beauty-queen pretty while a few were that more real-looking type. A realer kind of pretty.

... tried praying for him ...but I couldn't. I just couldn't. Don't ask me why. I hoped that he was okay, but I couldn't summon the strength to pray for it.

The city was dark except for the building lights that seemed to appear like sores - like bandaids had been ripped off to expose the city's skin.

I wanted nothing for free.Nothing came for free at our place anyway.

One good punch from Rube on me would send the sky into my head and the clouds into my lungs. I just always tried to stay up.

Inspiration ends when reading ends.

I got a rock.

If you find yourself occasionally or constantly pressured by your friends to live a materialistic lifestyle, you should stay clear from them because they are clearly not your true friends.

Believe in the power of your voice! Be yourself. Everyone is unique.

And an anteater plus a large hungry mutant ant? An ironic way to die.

Being a daughter is only half the equation; bearing one is the other.

The humblest occupation has in it materials of discipline for the highest heaven.

When the history of civilization is written, it will be a biological history and Margaret Sanger will be its heroine.

Waiting for the horror is almost more frightening than actually seeing it. Just the pending dread.

The universe always helps us fight for our dreams, no matter how foolish they may be.