Quotes from Harley Jane Kozak

Children at play, birds of prey," Lucien said, closing out his register, "and dogs may chase anything that moves. But in general, we are not pursued because we run; we run because we are pursued. Someone wanted something from this girl --love, money, her body, her mind. Find out what pursued your friend, and you find your friend.

The advantage of playing dumb is that it postpones the moment confrontation, when you acknowledge you're I opposite sides, when someone fires the first shot. If you're already at a disadvantage -- like for instance, Of your car's in neutral when you thought it was in reverse -- it gives you a chance to reach for a weapon.

If you're not with family on major holidays, people worry, calling to see if you're being sufficiently festive, yelling at you if you eat Chee-tos for phans by circumstance, geography, or choice, but a cultural conspiracy was afoot to make us feel otherwise. Work, I decided, was the antidote.

Excessively happy people signify cult activities,' I whispered to Joey.

The wall was an eyesore in its newness, grayness, lack of grace. That much blank space might not set a regular person's blood racing, but to an artist, it's like opening up a new sketchpad, the kind with heavy textured paper. Impossible to leave it empty.