Quotes from Mercedes Lackey

an untutored lout with a sledgehammer could kill you just as dead as an assassin with a stiletto.

Elves - You can't live with them and there's just no resale value.

So we have talking cats now? Of course we have talking cats. We're lucky we don't have talking horses, with what we've put them all through. I should just be grateful that they aren't dictating orders.

Many of them were not problems at all, only the perception of a problem, and simply delaying a decision would make it less of a perceived problem with every passing day.

Stupid people never doubted themselves. Intelligent ones, however, went straight to self-examination whenever anything bad happened. Did I deserve this? Did I bring it on myself? Did I somehow do something that I shouldn't have?

I would love to get my hands on whoever did this. But he already knew that he could administer all the punishment in the world, and it would have no effect, because the ones who had done this were stupid people, who had absolutely no doubt that they were in the right. No matter what they were told, no matter how many times they got caught and punished, they would go straight out and do it again. They knew they were right, and nothing would shake that faith.

There are always people who aren't human, who think the only thing in the world that matters is themselves.

One problem at a time, that was his motto. Too bad he never got to live up to it.

By such little victories are wars and hearts won

Ordinary folks, a muddle in the middle, just trying to get by with the least amount of pain and the greatest amount of joy. He could not argue with that.

Contempt for kindness and generosity is the surest sign there is that someone has nothing else left to them but a horrible emptiness much worse than weakness. It's an—anti-strength.

My strength is as the strength of ten, because my heart is pure. Pure what, I don't think I want to know.

Stories ain't about the feller what wrote 'em, even if he pertends they are. They don' even hev t'be true to be right! Stories are 'bout what they make you feel. If'n they make you feel good, an' make y'all wanta be brave, an' good, an' do what's right, thet's the important thing!

I like clever people. Dull ones irritate me, especially those who expect to be told what to do, and if they are not told, do nothing, even when something that needs doing is right in front of them.

Do what you can, do everything that you can, do it to the best of your ability, and leave the rest to fate. Or

You can't make water into bricks, you can only make it do what is in its nature to do!

Do what you can, do everything that you can, do it to the best of your ability, and leave the rest to fate.

You can't let your heart or your habits control you. Not when you're who you are, and wield the power you do. Think about reacting emotionally in a battle situation. Think about even reacting reflexively, instead of tactically.: He did, and shuddered.

Make your motivations secret to the enemy, fool them into false planning, use their force against them, lead them onto harsh ground, hold true to the beliefs of your followers, and show them the ways they may become like you. Lead by example.

It's only gossip if you repeat it. Until then, it's gathering information.:

Had she been fully white, had she been a man, Alderscroft would have had her brought into the fold and properly taught immediately.

Eric could teach Hosea the way to call his magic. He could teach him that Eric's was the only right way, teach Hosea to do only as Eric had done and could do, and no more. But that was not what it meant to be a teacher. Hosea must grow to be all that Hosea could be

Keth, power brings with it the need to make moral judgments; history proves that. You have no choice but to make those decisions.

I swear to you, even if he was shaved bald he'd have more hair than wits.