“You goddamn, freaky bitch," Grace said, because, hells bells, it had been a righteous day, and all of a sudden, pow, her temper was done lost and gone.”

“John's tattoo..Goddamn..He'd done it as a memorial to her-putting her name in his skin so she'd be with him always. After all, there was nothing more permanent than that-hell, that was why in the mating ceremony males got their backs carved up: Rings could get lost.”

“Her mind had been a blank story for so many years, and, suddenly, all the pages were filled with lost memories.”

“Above all remember this: that magic belongs as much to the heart as to the head and everything which is done, should be done from love or joy or righteous anger (from Ladies of Grace Adieu).”

“In the end, coming to faith remains for all a sense of homecoming, of picking up the threads of a lost life, of responding to a bell that had long been ringing, of taking a place at a table that had long been vacant.”

“Miranda was nineteen. Her experience with men consisted of Winston and himself. Both of whom hadheretofore been brotherly figures. The poor girl must be confused as hell. Winston had suddenly decidedthat she was Venus, Queen Elizabeth, and the Virgin Mary all rolled into one,and Turner had all butforced himself on her. Not exactly an average day in the life of a young country miss”