A book is a door, you know. Always and forever. A book is a door into another place and another heart and another world.
Catherynne M. ValenteOh, I will be cruel to you, Marya Morevna. It will stop your breath, how cruel I can be. But you understand, donโt you? You are clever enough. I am a demanding creature. I am selfish and cruel and extremely unreasonable. But I am your servant. When you starve I will feed you; when you are sick I will tend you. I crawl at your feet; for before your love, your kisses, I am debased. For you alone I will be weak.
Catherynne M. ValenteIf I stop, I shall sink and die. That's the way I'm made. I have to keep going always, and even when I get where I'm going, I'll have to keep on. That's living.
Catherynne M. ValenteMarya pinned out her childhood like a butterfly. She considered it the way a mathematician considers an equation.
Catherynne M. ValenteWell, very splendid and very frightening. But splendid things are often frightening. Sometimes, it's the fright that makes them splendid at all.
Catherynne M. ValenteI am a Prince," he replied, being rather dense. "It is the function of a Princeโvalue Aโto kill monstersโvalue Bโfor the purpose of establishing orderโvalue Cโand maintaining a steady supply of maidensโvalue D. If one inserts the derivative of value A (Prince) into the equation y equals BC plus CD squared, and sets it equal to zero, giving the apex of the parabola, namely, the point of intersection between A (Prince) and B (Monster), one determines value Eโa stable kingdom. It is all very complicated, and if you have a chart handy I can graph it for you.
Catherynne M. Valente