It’s being ready to accept rejection. You can work on a book for two years and get it published, and it’s like you may as well have thrown it down a well. It’s not all champagne and doing interviews with The New York Times.

...grief can derange even the strongest and most disciplined of minds.

Gods and wonders always appear, to attend the birth of kings.

All my life men like you've sneered at me, and all my life I've been knocking men like you into the dust.

I have been despised by better men than you.

The wildlings seemed to think Ygritte a great beauty because of her hair; red hair was rare among the free folk, and those who had it were said to be kissed by fire, which was supposed to be lucky.

You've got a bold tongue, little man. One day, someone is like to cut it out and make you eat it.