There is nothing sadder than the cheerful letters of the dead, expressing hopes that were never fulfilled, ambitions that were never achieved, dreams cut off before they could come to fruition.

Humor is an excellent method of keeping a tight rein on unproductive displays of emotion.

The only way to do it is to do it: by writing, writing, writing.

Getting an idea for a book is not the problem, but you need 300 ideas - an idea a page.

I would never have supposed that inexperienced girl was capable of such cold-blooded, calculating manipulation!

Your trousers are on fire. I would have told you, but you so dislike advice.

I had refused Emerson's well-meant offers of assistance, knowing his efforts would be confined to moving the furniture to the wrong places and demanding how much longer the process would take.