I could imagine myself becoming one of Marla's stories.

Every character sees the world through a framework of education and experience that they're proud experts about. To write a character, find out what they know best, and THEN you'll know how they'll describe a "hot day." Or a "pretty girl."

If you knew that your life was merely a phase or short, short segment of your entire existence, how would you live? Knowing nothing 'real' was at risk, what would you do? You'd live a gigantic, bold, fun, dazzling life. You know you would. That's what the ghosts want us to do - all the exciting things they no longer can.

People don't want their lives fixed. Nobody wants their problems solved. Their dramas. Their distractions. Their stories resolved. Their messed cleaned up. Because what would they have left? Just the big scary unknown.

Because tanning and steroids are only a problem if you plan to live a long time.

Hope is something really tough and tenacious you have to give up. It’s an addiction to break.

To repeat, the way you get to the huge, impossible yes is, you start collecting a lot of easy, small yeses.