My parents would frisk me before family events. Before weddings, funerals, bar mitzvahs, and what have you. Because if they didn't, then the book would be hidden inside some pocket or other and as soon as whatever it was got under way I'd be found in a corner. That was who I was...that was what I did. I was the kid with the book.

Richard did not believe in angels, he never had. He was damned if he was going to start now. Still, it was much easier not to believe in something when it was not actually looking directly at you and saying your name.

It sounded like a piece of blackboard being dragged over the nails of a wall of severed fingers.

Don't start anything you're not prepared to finish.

Being brave doesn't mean you aren't scared. Being brave means you are scared, really scared, badly scared, and you do the right thing anyway.

If people are standing up there saying, my football team just won with help from God, then obviously God just pissed over the other team.

All bookshelves are magical.