Failure has been my best friend as a writer. It tests you, to see if you have what it takes to see it through.

... And the boy whose hair remained the color of lemons forever.

The human child – so much cannier at times than the stupefyingly ponderous adult.

There were not many people who could say that their education had been paid for with cigarettes.

It’s all very well for such a person to whine and moan and criticize other family members, but they won’t let anyone else do it. That’s when you get your back up and show loyalty.

I guess if editing doesn't hurt, you're probably not doing it properly. I find it quite difficult. The hardest part is believing that it's actually working and getting rid of the doubt that always creeps in.

I'd been in love with her for years. I never left this suburban town. I didn't go to university. I went to Audrey.