“When you are writing a novel, you aren't making it up. The story is already there. You just have to find it.”

“You must understand that when you are writing a novel you are not making anything up.”

“Writing novels is the hardest thing I've ever done, including digging irrigation ditches.”

“And your dinner for the orchestra officials.""Haven't you ever had people coming over and no time to shop? You have to make do with what's in the fridge, Clarice. May I call you Clarice?”

“I think it's easy to mistake understanding for empathy - we want empathy so badly. Maybe learning to make that distinction is part of growing up. It's hard and ugly to know somebody can understand you without even liking you.”

“Are you looking for sympathy? You'll find it in the dictionary between shit and syphilis”

“Ready when you are Sergeant Pempbry.”