“One survival technique is a lack of wastefulness; the African puts everything to use.”

“A purple African violet so lush and fleshy it looked edible... his fingers as cool and smooth as beach stones.”

“That's the problem with survival of the fittest ... the corpse at your fett. That little inconvenience.”

“That's the trouble with survival of the fittest, isn't it, Dominick? The corpse at your feet. That little inconvenience.”

“Grab the love. Hold on tight. Treasure it. Put that love you have for your husband first, arrange everything else around it, and all else will work out. Love must be cradled and nurtured and enjoyed and danced with. Never, ever, forget the love. It's why we want to live.Aunt Lydia's character, Julia's Chocolates”

“Burn like a bonfire in whatever you do”

“Everything bleeds into everything and fiction is just this funny desperate little attempt to staunch the bleeding.”