It was not death or dying that frightened him, but the unexpectedness of both. In sorting it all out, he hit on the notion that if one day a year were devoted to it, everybody could get it out of the way and the rest of the year would be safe and free. In this manner he instituted National Suicide Day.

Language alone protects us from the scariness of things with no names. Language alone is meditation.

Some literature is knowledge, some is just data. But if I can get a "happy" ending - which is when for the characters I'm writing about, something happens that they move from wherever they are in the beginning to knowledge or wisdom, they know something they never would have acknowledged or realized if it hadn't been for my book - that for me is what literature does.

I like marriage. The idea.

The language must be careful and must appear effortless. It must not sweat. It must suggest and be provocative at the same time.

If we had no language we'd have nothing.

You looking good." "Devil's confusion. He lets me look good long as I feel bad.