Some writers can produce marvelous plots without planning it out, but I can't. In particular I need to know the structure of a novel: what's going to happen in each chapter and each scene.

The great thing about a short story is that it doesn't have to trawl through someone's whole life; it can come in glancingly from the side.

The world is always changing brightness and hotness and soundness, I never know how it's going to be the next minute.

Scared is what you're feeling. Brave is what you're doing.

I look back one more time. It's like a crater, a hole where something happened.

Ma's still nodding. "You're the one who matters, though. Just you." I shake my head till it's wobbling because there's no just me.

It’s called mind over matter. If we don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” When a bit of me hurts, I always mind.

Books are the air I breathe, so I don't notice the seasons.

If I was made of cake I'd eat myself before somebody else could.

I remember manners, that's when people are scared to make other persons mad.

When I tell her what I’m thinking and she tells me what she’s thinking, our each ideas jumping into the other’s head, like coulouring blue crayon on top of yellow that makes green.

A secret is a secret in my mind.

When a man repeats a promise again and again, he means to fail you.

France is a meddow that cuts thrice a yeere.

In 2007 the 'dagger' of an idea that killed President Bush's effort at reforming the immigration system was lax border security.

That's why there's so little romance in our world now: everyone thinks romance is weak.

And by the right thing, I mean that whatever step we take next, the first criteria we should consider is the people who have been loyal to us, thus far, which is primarily our audience.

You ain't heard that we swallow guys?

I love the idea that I'm the oldest one in the room because I can get away with anything!

I may be dumb, but I'm not stupid.

You can't be hesitant about who you are.