It won't hurt, said her other father. Coraline knew that when grown-ups told you something wouldn't hurt it almost always did. She shook her head.

If you only write when inspired, you may be a fairly decent poet, but you'll never be a novelist.

But he did not understand the price. Mortals never do. They only see the prize, their heart's desire, their dream... But the price of getting what you want, is getting what you once wanted.

People take on the shapes of the songs and the stories that surround them, especially if they don't have their own song.

I am anti-life, the Beast of Judgment. I am the dark at the end of everything. The end of universes, gods, worlds…of everything. And what will you be then, Dreamlord?" "I am hope.

Nobody will ever hurt her. She’ll just smile her faint vague wonderful smile and walk away.

Without dreams, there could be no despair.