I read assiduously. I kept in touch with my species.

Some animals are secretive; some are shy. A cat is private.

Stories should be natural as apples, brief as lust, long as a thought.

Looking at a cat, like looking at clouds or stars or the ocean, makes it difficult to believe there is nothing miraculous in this world.

There's hardly anywhere in literature where you don't find a triangle.

Of mystery there is no end. Of clarity, there is precious little.

There is always something for which there is no accounting. Take, for example, the whole world.

The prose as such has to be singing the song the story is telling.

Is the story developing an attitude or victimized by it.

Self-confidence can be crippling.

I can only gesture at what makes a story good.

Be strong, be strong.

If a man drinks alcohol with his wife, then he is a thief. If he drinks alcohol with his son, it is sin. If he drinks alcohol with his daughter, he is slaughter.

critic, n. A person who boasts himself hard to please because nobody tries to please him.

It's rare that I'm working on a movie and that's the case. My goal is the same, ultimately at a certain point you give it to the director and their vision. You're there to support that vision.

I saw you dancing out the ocean Running fast along the sand A spirit born of earth and water Fire flying from your hands

I've always been on a quest to use science in an artful way.

Turning God into some kind of celestial insurance policy is just mental.

Life Lesson 3: You can't rush grief. It has its own timetable. All you can do is make sure there are lots of soft places around - beds, pillows, arms, laps.

Ain't no man can avoid being born average, but there ain't no man got to be common.