The existence of tricks does not imply the absence of magic.

At risk of sounding foully pompous I think that writers' groups are probably very useful at the beginning of a writing career.

So far it's 43 books in 25 years.

Life is a jest of the Gods and there is no justice. You must learn to laugh… or else you'll weep yourself to death.

But when you have order, you don't need Gods. When everything is well ordered and disciplined then nothing is unexpected. If you understand everything,' I said carefully, 'then there's no room left for magic. It's only when you're lost and frightened and in the dark that you call on the Gods, and they like us to call on them. It makes them feel powerful, and that's why they like us to live in chaos.

Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.

You'll call me damned Jew, a Christ murderer, a secret worshipper of pigs and a kidnapper of Christian children. How absurd! Who would want to kidnap children, Christian or otherwise? Vile things. The only mercy of children is that they grow up, as my son has but then, tragically, they beget more children. We do not learn life's lessons.