Modesty is a learned affectation. It's no good. Humility is great, because humility says, 'There was someone before me. I'm following in somebody's footsteps.'

Anything that works against you can also work for you once you understand the Principle of Reverse.

It is this belief in a power larger than myself and other than myself which allows me to venture into the unknown and even the unknowable.

The writer has to take the most used, most familiar objects - nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs - ball them together and make them bounce, turn them a certain way and make people get into a romantic mood; and another way, into a bellicose mood. I'm most happy to be a writer.

Take a day to heal from the lies you've told yourself and the ones that have been told to you.

Having courage does not mean that we are unafraid. Having courage and showing courage mean we face our fears. We are able to say, 'I have fallen, but I will get up.'

My mother said I must always be intolerant of ignorance but understanding of illiteracy.