One can summon courage and fortitude to face tragedy; irritations and frustrations are a cloud of mosquitoes that nip and sting and drive one frantic.

About mistakes it's funny. You got to make your own; and not only that, if you try to keep people from making theirs they get mad.

The small town smart set is deadly serious about its smartness.

Life can't ever really defeat a writer who is in love with writing, for life itself is a writer's lover until death – fascinating, cruel, lavish, warm, cold, treacherous, constant.

Writing is not an amusing occupation. It is a combination of ditch-digging, mountain-climbing, treadmill and childbirth.

Bizarre as was the name she bore, Kim Ravenal always said she was thankful it had been no worse.

The goat's business is none of the sheep's concern.