In most conventional novels, God is not allowed to be nuts. Nor are nuts allowed to be God.

I found some time ago that I have to be careful, while working on a novel, what I read.

The future, according to some scientists, will be exactly like the past, only more expensive.

An artist's life is supposed to lead toward his masterpiece, not away from it.

I think these days an SF connection would be a boost to other books; I'm sure more people have read my two little detective puzzles because of the SF connection.

SF has at least the advantage of not depending on preconceptions.

I have a kind of standard explanation why, which goes like this: Science fiction is one way of making sense out of a senseless world.

Whatever I'm reading at the moment seems to influence whatever I'm writing.

The problem and privilege we all have is being alive in this century and able to read this language. It makes any list meaningless except the list of an illiterate.

People have laughed at all great inventors and discoverers.

Most publishers seem very reluctant to publish short story collections at all; they bring them out in paperback, often disguised as novels.

Never follow any impulse to teach, however strong it might be. The command to teach is not felt as an impulsion.

P26 - Only power that springs from the weakness of the oppressed will be sufficiently strong to free both.

He had lost Will Herondale. And he did not know if he could ever get him back.

We're both [with Elie Wiesel] a long way from the position of the so-called Biblical minimalists. Some of them see no history in the Bible until Josiah.

What we're seeking to do is internalize perception. Perception is very much involved with the senses and the mental processes and the emotional processes.

There is a degree of depravity in mankind which requires a certain degree of circumspection and distrust.

He consorted with prostitutes and poets...and with persons even worse.

Be certain that you easily clear the minimum standards for service as a missionary and that you are continually raising the bar.

If the truth didn't help anyone, and love didn't last, what was there left to struggle toward?

I don't drink, I don't smoke and I don't party.