No idea is ever dead until those who believe in it say it's dead.

I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions.

Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries.

Don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today because if you enjoy it today, you can do it again tomorrow.

The really great writers are people like Emily Brontë who sit in a room and write out of their limited experience and unlimited imagination.

Scientists dream about doing great things. Engineers do them.

I have never thought of myself as a good writer. Anyone who wants reassurance of that should read one of my first drafts. But I'm one of the world's great rewriters.

I'm not a very good writer, but I'm an excellent rewriter.

If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home.

If your book doesn't keep you up nights when you are writing it, it won't keep anyone up nights reading it.

An age is called Dark not because the light fails to shine, but because people refuse to see it.

Begin each new day with your knees bow in prayer.

You can deceive yourself with truth too. That's an even more dangerous dream.

I am the granddaughter of an English woman. I love England and her people and, regardless of politics, consider you to be family... and always will.

there is no aristocracy of grief. Grief is a great leveler.

Never judge someone by who he's in love with; judge him by his friends. People fall in love with the most appalling people.

And connected I had been. When the fish changed directions, I felt it. when it slowed or sped up, I felt that too. It's such a raw thing, this shared existence with a piece of bucking biomass.

In my books you have to concentrate, but I work hard to make it that, when you do, the rewards are quite high.

I've tried to stay out of the frame more as a director.

Mediocrity is not worth the trip.

A breath thou art, Servile to all the skyey influences.