Robin McKinley

[Gonturan] is a true friend, but a friend with thoughts of her own, and the thoughts of others are dangerous.

She had not meant to name them, but she could not help herself; and having done so she thought, Let their names be symbols that their lives are worth the keeping. Let them struggle a little the harder, to keep their names.

Fairy godmothers?_ said the king dubiously. __e__l have a time getting that past the court council _ and the bishop.

It was Ebon's turn now, and he stepped forward and gave the pegasus' great clarion neigh -- far more like a trumpet than a horse's neigh; hollow bones are wonderful for resonance -- and swept his wings forward to touch, or almost touch, his alula-hands to her temples before he gave his own speech, in the half-humming, half-whuffling syllables the pegasi made when they spoke aloud, only she could understand what he was saying in silent speech. The words were just as stiff and silly (she was rather relieved to discover) as the ones she'd had t

Jesse reached into a bottom drawer and brought out a bottle of... oh, hey, single-malt scotch. Some SOFs did know how to live.

I have a mastery of the art of worrying that is a burden to me if I may not use it. --Robin

Charlie is one of the big good guys in my universe.

I disliked promises on principle because my conscience made me keep them.

It's kind of interesting you're driving a car big enough for a wolfhound and a mastiff to get in the back of today," I said."And a greyhound, a dark brown bear, and a brindle utility vehicle," said Jill."Greyhounds don't take up much room," I said. "They're like dog silhouettes.

Dogs are very comforting when your world has exploded.

Majid gave me a brief dazzling golden stare and then half-lidded his eyes again. I know when my life is being threatened.

How does a hundred-and-eighty-pound man turn into a ninety-pound wolf? Where does the leftover ninety go? Does he park it in the umbrella stand overnight?

There are always cats around Charlie's, but they are usually refugees seeking asylum from the local rat population, and rather desperately friendly.

The Pavilion did not burn by lightening," she said.He hesitated again. "It holds the memory of fire," he said at last. "Lightening is young and strong and thoughtless, but it could also wish to visit the site of some particular victory of one of its kind--as a young soldier recently commissioned might visit the scene of some great battle--

One has various things in the back of one's mind. Occasionally an opportunity presents itself to bring one forward. Most of these opportunities come to nothing. Once in a very great while one -- or two -- do come to something.

If you wish, I shall go personally to your City and knock together the heads of Perlith and Galooney.

So, what do you do when you know you have two days to live? Eat an entire Bitter Chocolate Death cake all by myself. Reread my favorite novel. Buy eight dozen roses from the best florist in town--the super expensive ones, the ones that smell like roses rather than merely looking like them--and put them all over my apartment. Take a good long look at everyone I love.

She, too, spoke only when the queen or king addressed her first, but she looked searchingly at every supplicant, and her clear face said that she had opinions about everything she heard, and that it was her proud duty to think out those opinions, and make them responsible and coherent.