The good writers touch life often. The mediocre ones run a quick hand over her. The bad ones rape her and leave her for the flies.

My stories run up and bite me on the leg - I respond by writing down everything that goes on during the bite. When I finish, the idea lets go and runs off.

An athlete may run ten thousand miles in order to prepare for one hundred yards. Quantity gives experience.

Go out and make your own speeches. People need you. Go on TV. It can be done. After you speak up a few times, people say, "Hey, we got a crazy man in the community," and they'll begin talking to you.

I believe in having fun first, and along the way, if you teach people, if you influence people, well and good.

First of all, it was October, a rare month for boys.

The merry-go-round was running, yes, but... It was running backward. The small calliope inside the carousel machinery rattle-snapped its nervous-stallion shivering drums, clashed its harvest-moon cymbals, toothed its castanets, and throatily choked and sobbed its reeds, whistles, and baroque flutes.