Don't try to follow in my footsteps. Make your own footsteps! No one else can tell the stories that are inside of you except for you.

You can take my heart, but I can't let you take my dog.

Keeping libraries open, giving access to all children to all books is vital to our nation's sovereignty.

I never felt isolated; I just liked being alone. I think that some people are good at being alone, and some people arent, and as a child, I really liked it.

Reading is not just an escape. It is access to a better way of life.

Everybody had something horrible happen to them at one time or another in their life.

[On men:] ... you never know what they're like until you get them home and take them out of their packages.

As a Southerner, I love obstacles for my characters.

Everyone had a reason for everything they did, even if that reason was sometimes stupidity.

You didn't realize what was passing you by until you slowed down a little bit to get a better look.

People just make stupid mistakes. And they keep making them and keep making them, and suddenly they can't dig themselves out.

I always wished for this, but it's almost turning into more of a nightmare than a dream.

I've always been schizophrenic; I've never been interested in limiting myself.

I enjoy hearing people who are good at their instruments and who've found a distinctive voice.

If you want to pay off your debts, it pays to increase your earning power.

I would love to work with Tim Burton. I think we would be very good together.

The poor are the human manure in which grow the harvests of life, the harvests of joy which the rich reap.

Make YOUR can larger than YOUR can't, and YOUR DREAMS bigger than YOUR doubts

Prayer wonderfully clears the vision; steadies the nerves; defines duty; stiffens the purpose; sweetens and strengthens the spirit.

I think everyone on the planet is a fan of a painting because everyone is a fan of visual stimulation, but I've had freedom in the world [of painting] because I've kept it to myself.

The Spirit Awards are great too, they'll say anything because they're not televised. Another great drinking night.