Science fiction is a dialogue, a tennis match, in which the Idea is volleyed from one side of the net to the other. Ridiculous to say that someone 'stole' an idea: no, no, a thousand times no. The point is the volley, and how it's carried, and what statement is made by the answering 'statement.' In other words — if Burroughs initiates a time-gate and says it works randomly, and then Norton has time gates confounded with the Perilous Seat, the Siege Perilous of the Round Table, and locates it in a bar on a rainy night — do you see both the humor and the volley in the tennis match?

Inevitably the party trying to resolve a matter had to contend with the party most willing to exploit it.

I most fear stupid people. Stupid people will do anything. Truly smart people will do only what is logical for them to do.

A year of ending and beginning, a year of loss and finding... and all of you were with me through the storm. I drink your health, your wealth, your fortune for long years to come, and I hope for many more days in which we can gather like this.

Writing day and night for months… that’s hard.

Poisoning rarely happens in a well-managed kitchen.

Average people didn't analyze what they thought: they thought they thought, and half of it was gut reaction.