Quotes

I never said my wishes were supposed to do anyone any good,” said the genie. “In fact, I swore that they would always do as much harm as possible.

You must admit I have a right to live in a pigsty if I want

Hang on,” I said. “Are you and Zinka married?”
“These last three years,” Si said, grinning merrily. “It’s nice”
“But-” I said, in some consternation.
“I know what you’re thinking,” he said. “She may draw sexy pictures of alien life forms, but I make damn sure it’s only Art.”
“Sure,” I said, though that was not what I had in mind at all.

What you do is find your centre - can you do that?”
“My navel, you mean?” I said.
“No, no!” he howled. “You’re not a woman! Or are you?

The best thing about writing fiction is that moment where the story catches fire and comes to life on the page, and suddenly it all makes sense and you know what it’s about and why you’re doing it and what these people are saying and doing, and you get to feel like both the creator and the audience. Everything is suddenly both obvious and surprising (“but of course that’s why he was doing that, and that means that…”) and it’s magic and wonderful and strange.

Amazing. You’re here, but you can’t do a simple thing like raising light, or do I mean lazing right? Whichever. You can’t. Why not?”
“No one ever showed me how,” I said.
He swayed about, looking solemn. “I quote,” he said. “I’m very well read in the literature of several worlds, you know, and I quote. What do they teach them in these schools?

If I give you a hint and tell you it’s a hint, it will be information.

That is the unexpected trouble with love affairs, I thought as I made more coffee. You can fancy a girl like mad, but more than just the look of her comes into it. You find yourself having to allow for her personality, too. A five-thirty in the morning.