Nothing is so lovely as a quietly snoring dog and some evening Brahms, as you sit in a comfortably overstuffed chair with your feet on the footstool.

People forget years and remember moments.

When I was teaching at Harvard in the 1970s, I went to Project Incorporated in Cambridge and took photography classes. I didn't even know how to aim the camera in those days.

Because I don’t work with an outline, writing a story is like crossing a stream, now I’m on this rock, now I’m on this rock, now I’m on this rock.

Clichés so often befall vain people.

I think almost always that what gets me going with a story is the atmosphere, the visual imagery, and then I people it with characters, not the other way around.

I don't write about things that I have the answers to or things that are very close to home. It just wouldn't be any adventure. It wouldn't have any vitality.

There is some reason, obviously, that you are drawn to your material, but the way in which you explore it might come to be quite different from what you would expect.

Nobody can assume that, to a writer, everything is off-limits.

I like a lot of Margaret Atwood, I like much of Alice Munro. Again, if you were to ask me about male writers, there's often a novel I admire, but not all of their works.

It's often been said that I'm an extremely depressing, cynical writer. I've never known what to make of that.

When you consciously choose to do what you love, life becomes a pleasure and ceases to be a chore.

You want to make sure that your purpose is something people can benefit from long after you're gone.

Muses work all day long and then at night get together and dance...

Love is like pi - natural irrational and very important.

I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.

You don't need to know who I'm dating. You don't need to know what I'm doing. I'm fine with everybody not knowing that.

you might not be the first person l kissed, but you will be the last' Jamie to Claire in Outlander (not word perfect)

Gambling promises the poor what property performs for the rich-something for nothing.

I think that as the guardian of justice elected by the people it's our duty to use whatever forms of force, police, army, to make sure that at least the freedom of choice is preserved.

I’d rather have my eyes gouged out. (Urian) If I do that, can the Simi eat them? (Simi) You have to share if you do! (Xirena)