You have an audience that is fairly well grounded in the real world. You serve them and yourself best by making everything as real as possible.

Sometimes there's nothing you can do. [...] Sometimes they don't have enough to fight with.

We could mate. In a year our nestlings would be large enough to mob anyone we like...Should I begin to court you? Do you like grubs or ants better?...I will be here. In case you change your mind about mating.

If you look hard and long, you can find us. If you listen hard and long, you can hear any of us, call any of us that you wish.

Threats are the last resort of a man with no vocabulary.

The fantasy that appeals most to people is the kind that's rooted thoroughly in somebody looking around a corner and thinking, 'What if I wandered into this writer's people here?' If you've done your job and made your people and your settings well enough, that adds an extra dimension that you can't buy.

Tortall and the Queens Riders!