“I didn't find my story; it found me, as autobiography always does: finds you out in your deepest most private places.”

“The story of his great-grandfather . . . was his own story, too.”

“There is a wicked and pervading arrogance loose on the earth, like a rabid beast, an overdog. Does it run, does it slouch, does its name have a number? The beast preaches contempt, for that's what arrogance says: that nothing is real but itself, and the bone and blood of another's being are insubstantial as breath.”

“Poetry is a way of coming to know the realness of things; fiction is a way of coming to know the world of relationships; nonfiction is a way of coming to know the world of the mind.”

“ Duty o'er love was the choice you did make My love you did spurn, my heart you did break Your penance to pay, no pride you shall gain Three sons on three sons find nothing but pain I gift you my powers in memory of me The joy of love no son shall ever seeWhen a Lifemate is chosen by the heart of a son No protection can be given, again I have won His pain will be deep, her death will be swift Inside his heart a terrible riftOnly freely given will this curse be done To break the spell, three must work as one.”

“Sometimes, if not most of the time, you find out who you are by figuring out who and what you are not.”

“Everything's gonna be fine, okay?" He reached toward me and gently started to move a lock of my hair behind my ear."Maybe for you," I said, smacking his hand away. "Some of us are gonna be living out the rest of our lives in a rice paddy wearing a big hat.""Wow, you get racist when you're panicky.""Shut your pathetic, useless mouth.""And bitchy.”