My greatest enemies are Women and the Sea. These things I hate. Women because they are weak and stupid and live in the shadow of men and are nothing compared to them, and the Sea because it has always frustrated me, destroying what I have built, washing away what I have left, wiping clean the marks I have made.

I'm an only child so am happy with my own company and I don't really get lonely.

Mr Blawke always reminded me of a heron; I'm not sure why. Something to do with a sense of rapacious stillness, perhaps, and also the aura of one who knows time is on his side.

It's a library, only the stupid or the evil are afraid of those

I wouldn't like to be a character in one of my books!

My point has always been that, ever since the Industrial Revolution, science fiction has been the most important genre there is.

One should never mistake pattern for meaning.