Time and death sleep side by side.

Time plays tricks between here and home," said Mogget sepulchrally, frightening the life out of the telephone operator.

Please," said Lirael..."I think I would like to work in this Library." "The Library," repeated Sanar, looking troubled. "That can be dangerous to a girl of fourteen. Or a woman of forty, for that matter.

Fish and fowl, warm sun and shady trees, the field mice in the wheat, under the cool light of the moon.

I suppose you could call me...Soot," said the thing. "Yes...Soot. I have breathed it, lived in it, and eaten it for so long that it is a fitting name." "Eaten it?" asked Suzy. "Why eat soot?" "Boredom," said Soot.

Do not tarry, do not stop, no matter what happens.

Often, I get the feeling that the story is really happening somewhere and all I'm doing is trying to work out the best way to tell it.