To trust someone is to take the greatest risk of all. (180)

Each novel is harder than its predecessor because I must work harder at not repeating myself. However, I enjoy the challenge. This is the greatest job in the world.

At first, when a child meets something that scares him, the fear grows, like a wave. But when he goes into the water and swims - gets used to the water - the wave grows small. If we pull the child away when the wave is high, he never sees that, never learns how to swim and remains afraid. If he gets a chance to feel strong, in control, that's called coping. When he copes, he feels better.

Optimism is denial for chumps with no life experience". "What's pessimism?" I said. "Religion without God.

The science of psychotherapy is knowing what to say, the art is knowing when to say it. (36)

The characters emerge from my rather twisted mind. That's another enjoyable part of the job making stuff up.

Life is like a prism. What you see depends on how you turn the glass.