Mr. Twit was a twit. He was born a twit. And, now at the age of sixty, he was a bigger twit than ever.

I don't care if a reader hates one of my stories, just as long as he finishes the book.

...the more risks you allow children to take, the better they learn to take care of themselves. If you never let them take any risks, then I believe they become very prone to injury. Boys should be allowed to climb tall trees and walk along the tops of high walls and dive into the sea from high rocks... The same with girls. I like the type of child who takes risks. Better by far than the one who never does so.

Grown ups are complicated creatures, full of quirks and secrets.

The books transported her into new worlds and introduced her to amazing people who lived exciting lives. She went on olden-day sailing ships with Joseph Conrad. She went to Africa with Ernest Hemingway and to India with Rudyard Kipling. She travelled all over the world while sitting in her little room in an English village.

The life of a writer is absolute hell compared to the life of a businessman.

Eschew all those beastly adjectives.