Quotes From "The Gathering" By Kelley Armstrong

This is so cool, " I said loudly as Dad walked away. "Have you met the tattoo artist? Is he hot?" "He's a she, " Mom said. "Is she hot? Cause I'm still young, you know. My sexual identity isnt fully formed." "Your father can't hear you anymore, Maya." Mom sighed. Kelley Armstrong

Yes you're getting your tattoo." I threw my arms around Dad's neck. "Thank you! " "Hey, " Mom said. "I'm the one who had to persuade him it wasn't turning his little girl into a streetwalker." "I never said that, " Dad said. "No?" I said. "Cool. Cause I've decided to skip the paw print. I'm thinking of a tramp stamp with flames that says 'Hot in Here.' No wait. Arrows. For directionally challenged guys . Kelley Armstrong

Another night then, ' Mom said. 'Maybe on the weekend we can have a barbecue and invite your sister.' 'Or, ' I said turning to Rafe, 'if you want to skip the whole awkward meet-the-family social event you could just submit your life story including your view on politics religion and every social issue imaginable along with anything else you think they might need to conduct a thorough background check.' Mom sighed. 'I really don't know why we even bother trying to be subtle around you.' 'Neither do I. It's not like he isn't going to realize he's being vetted as daughter-dating material.' Rafe grinned. 'So we are dating.' 'No. You have to pass the parental exam first. It'll take you awhile to compile the data. They'd like it in triplicate.' I turned to my parents. 'We have Kenjii. We have my cell phone. Since we aren't yet officially dating I'm sure you'll agree that's all the protection we need.' Dad choked on his coffee. Kelley Armstrong

It was completely fifth garde and completely silly and I loved it, because he wasn't afraid to be silly. It was like kissing him first - I could do whatever I wanted and not have to worry what he'd think of me. Kelley Armstrong

Strength without compassion is soulless and cruel. Weakness, too, has its place, for it brings understanding. Isobelle Carmody

Here we go again. Always a few drinks, but sometimes even sober, we play the unhappiness game; endlessly round and round. Ding dong. Tighter and tighter. On and on. Push me pull you. Come here and i'll tell you how much i hate you. Hang on a minute while i leave you. All the while we know we are missing the point, whatever the point used to be. Anne Enright

I am a trembling mess from hip to knee. There is a terrible heat, a looseness in my innards that makes me want to dig my fists between my thighs. It is a confusing feeling - somewhere between diarrhoea and sex - this grief that is almost genital. Anne Enright

Laughter is a powerful weapon for it carries the light. To laugh is to defy the darkness. Isobelle Carmody

At last, I came to the Lost Dog's Home which my map told me marked teh turnoff to Shelly Beach.You could hear some of the dogs barking, calling out for their owners to come and get them away from there.. I hated going to those places because I always wanted to take all the dogs home or let them go free, even though I knew most of them would go straight out and be hit by a car or starve to death. I sometimes wished I could have a place where I could take those dogs and let them live. The Phantom had this sanctuary called Eden and all the animals there lived together, even tigers and baby deer, because they'd never learned it's kill or be killed. The maneaters ate fish out of the lagoon and the island was protected by the Bandar poison pygmies and by the piranha fish in the lagoon. I would have liked there to be such a place for pets who had been dumped of abandoned. They could feed the owners to the piranha. . Isobelle Carmody

Chekhov. Well he was a bit of a lad. He had at least two dozen relationships, possibly three; some of them long term; most of the woman wanted to marry him and throughout that time he was still a constant frequenter of brothels. ‘‘Mercy. It’s a wonder he got time to write at all. Unknown

Her past is behind her, her future is of little concern. She moves towards the grave, at her own speed. Anne Enright

A drinker does not exist. Whatever they say, it is just the drink talking Anne Enright