The two real political parties in America are the Winners and the Losers. The people don't acknowledge this. They claim membership in two imaginary parties, the Republicans and the Democrats, instead.

Don't be reckless with other peoples hearts. And don't put up with people that are reckless with yours.

You realize, of course, that everything I say is horseshit.

People have to talk about something just to keep their voice boxes in working order so they'll have good voice boxes in case there's ever anything really meaningful to say.

She upset Billy simply by being his mother. She made him feel embarrassed and ungrateful and weak because she had gone to so much trouble to give him life, and to keep that life going, and Billy didn't really like life at all.

Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.

It goes against the American storytelling grain to have someone in a situation he can't get out of, but I think this is very usual in life.