The first of my father's illusions was that bears could survive the life led by human beings; the second was that human beings could survive a life in hotels.

I think that was when the headmaster realized he had lost; he realized then that he was finished. Because, what could he do? Was he going to tell us to stop praying? We kept our heads bowed; and we kept praying. Even as awkward as he was, the Rev. Mr. Merrill had made it clear to us that there was no end to praying for Owen Meany.

The characters in my novels, from the very first one, are always on some quixotic effort of attempting to control something that is uncontrollable - some element of the world that is essentially random and out of control.

It is your responsibility to find fault with me, it is mine to hear you out. But don't expect me to change.

This was not of the nature of a Christlike lesson for Owen Meany to learn, as he lay in the manger, that someone you hate can give you a hard-on.

The way you define yourself as a writer is that you write every time you have a free minute. If you didn't behave that way you would never do anything.

My life as a writer consists of 1/8 talent and 7/8 discipline.