You have to have talent to some extent - I certainly hope I have talent - but you have to have luck as well. Once you get that first shot, that will get you noticed for the rest of your books and that will give the rest of your books a better chance.

But it was an ending.

Never kiss a girl whose brothers have knife scars.

Women often seemed to leave things unsaid, and in his limited experience it was what they did not say that proved the most trouble.

There are no clear paths. Only pitfalls and tripwires and darkness.

One pretty woman means fun at the dance. Two pretty women means trouble in the house. Three pretty women means run at the hills.

Pessimism, she is a fond friend of yours, yes?" - That's uncalled for. I barely know her. Mere acquaintances, at best.