There is a madness, yes, this is true. Few mortals possess it, the willingness to step away from the protection of sanity. To walk into the wild wood of madness...

And I would try and walk far enough away that people would not assume I was with him.

It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes. But the half-wit remains a half-wit, and the emperor remains an emperor.

When I was a child, adults would tell me not to make things up, warning me of what would happen if I did. As far as I can tell so far, it seems to involve lots of foreign travel and not having to get up too early in the morning.

You know I love you,' said the other mother flatly. 'You have a very funny way of showing it,' said Coraline.

I am selfish, private and easily bored. Will this be a problem?

I think that is something that I always like in my work - the sense of inclusion rather than the sense of otherness.