Sue Grafton Quotes

The hard thing about death is that nothing ever changes. The hard thing about life is that nothing stays the same.

My notion of an elegant table is you don't leave the knife sticking out of the mayonnaise jar.

any mystery writer is both magician and moralist ... two species of artist in short supply.

There was an author who titled his books by days of the weeks and another one that used colors. Then there was Edward Gorey who wrote the book The Gashlycrumb Tinies, about the untimely death of 26 Victorian children, each representing a letter of the alphabet. I thought what a great way to link the titles.

All of us are subjected to somebody else's power at some point. So once in a while you kiss ass. So what? Either you make your peace with that early, or you end up living your life as a crank and a misfit.

Sometimes I claim I write because I put in an application at Sears and they've never called back.

It's been my observation, after years in the [insurance] business, that a certain percent of the population simply can't resist the urge to cheat.

For the record, I'd like to say that I'm a big fan of forgiveness as long as I have a chance to get even first" Kinsey Millhone, V is for Vengeance

You write one book and you're ready for fame and fortune. I don't know that people are spending the time and attention on learning how to write-which takes years. Everybody sees the success stories.

If I'd been listening closely, I'd have caught the sound of the gods having a great big old tee-hee at my expense.

Too much virtue has a corrupting effect.

Writing is not about making a buck, not about publishers and agents. Writing is not about feeling good. Writing is about pain, suffering, hard work, risk, and fear.

I focus on the writing and let the rest of the process take care of itself. I've learned to trust my own instincts and I've also learned to take risks.

I know there are people who believe you should forgive and forget. For the record, I'd like to say I'm a big fan of forgiveness as long as I'm given the opportunity to get even first.

God save us from the people who want to do what's best for us.

People talk about dysfunctional families; I've never seen any other kind.

I've never known anyone yet who doesn't suffer a certain restlessness when autumn rolls around... We're all eight years old again and anything is possible.

I hate nature. I really do. Nature is composed entirely of sticks, dirt, fall-down places, biting and stinging things, and savageries too numerous to list. And I'm not the only one who feels this way. Man has been building cities since the year oughty-ought, just to get away from this stuff.

Life was reduced to its four basic elements: air, food, drink, and a good friend.