I went through a period in my life when I had no friends, when the phone never rang, when I thought I would die from loneliness. I know that the real blessing here isn't that I have a book published, but that I have so many people to thank.

Let every man shovel out his own snow, and the whole city will be passable," said Gamache. Seeing Beauvoir's puzzled expression he added, "Emerson." "Lake and Palmer?" "Ralph and Waldo.

To be honest, the only thing I ever really wanted to be was a writer - since I read 'Charlotte's Web' as a child.

In winter the very ground seemed to reach up and grab the elderly, yanking them to earth as though hungry for them.

He tried to let her know it would be all right. Eventually. Life wouldn't always be this painful. The world wouldn't always be this brutal. Give it time, little one. Give it another chance. Come back.

A good novel is a good novel, pointe finale. And I think what I'm writing is exactly that.

But, like peace, comfort didn't come from hiding away or running away. Comfort first demanded courage.