The world is not made of countries and outsiders. We are all just humans, and most of us fools and all of us longing for more than we have, to know more than we know--and yet even that is not enough, for if we knew everything we would only be disappointed that there was not one more secret to uncover.
Catherynne M. ValenteI have tried to write stories that go into the underworld of myth and bring out life and fire โ where the old world looked at a woman alone and immortal and said: she must long to die, I have tried to say: look at her live!
Catherynne M. ValenteItโs been me all along,โ said September slowly. โMe who gave up my shadow, me who went down into Fairyland-Below and Fairyland-Lower-Than-That to wake up the Prince. Me who shot the poor Minotaur. You oughtnโt just hand the whole business over the moment a Prince comes on the scene. Iโve got to see it through, donโt you see? The Hollow Queen is hollow because sheโs missing the part of her thatโs me. Weโve got to come together again. And he canโt do a thing about that.
Catherynne M. ValenteI perceive that you have a cruel heart, my child. It lies within your breast like a smoldering blade, hissing steam at me.
Catherynne M. ValenteShe did not want to read this book from start to finish, or rather, she thought perhaps it did not want her to. Instead she practiced the art of bibliomancy, trusting the book to show her what it wanted her to know.
Catherynne M. ValenteShe liked anything orange: leaves; some moons; marigolds; chrysanthemums; cheese; pumpkin, both in pie and out; orange juice; marmalade. Orange is bright and demanding. You can't ignore orange things. She once saw an orange parrot in the pet store and had never wanted anything so much in her life. She would have named it Halloween and fed it butterscotch. Her mother said butterscotch would make a bird sick and, besides, the dog would certainly eat it up. September never spoke to the dog again โ on principle.
Catherynne M. Valente