Quotes from James Patterson

Life goes on. It just does, whether we're ready for the next chapter or not. Embrace it.

However, using insidious and irresistible mind-control techniques such as offering us Mountain Dew and a ton of nachos, the naval bigwigs had managed to corral us in this room for a debriefing.

Good memories are like charms, Nickey. Each is special. You collect them, one by one, until one day you look back and discover they take a long, colorful bracelet. (pg. 79) Suzanee's Diary for Nicolas

To be honest, every once in a while, there's an hour or two when I can't stand Sue -- but there isn't a day that goes by that I'm not in love with her. She had me at Sure and she still does. Here's the thing: If Sue ever leaves me, I'm going with her.

quickly fading—going

I mentally reviewed possible responses: 1) Sardonic laughter (always good) 2) Rolled eyes and snort of disbelief 3) Sarcastic "You have got to be kidding me." Any

Thomas Merton stayed at the abbey for twenty-seven years. His autobiography

Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in. I drink at it, but while I drink, I see the sandy bottom and detect how shallow it is. Its current slides away, but eternity remains. I would drink deeper, fish in the sky, whose bottom is pebbly with stars.

Remember that country singer on American Songster, the girl whose father only let her order ketchup, mustard, and relish at McDonald's because ketchup, mustard, and relish are free and you can mix them in a cup of hot water to make McSoup?

AS WE LAY THERE WE FELT LIKE WE WERE EXTENSTIONS OF EACH OTHER, LIKE OUR BODIES AND OUR HEARTS HAD TO BE TOGETHER TO MAKE ONE WHOLE PERFECT PERSON.

I love this snarky line about critics. It comes from the English playwright John Osborne: Asking a working writer how he feels about critics is like asking a lamppost what it feels about dogs.

My name's J.J.," she said, seeming completely comfortable with this social interaction. My palms were sweating. "It's short for Jennifer Joy. I mean, what were my parents thinking?

Ninety percent of people want the direction of their life to change, but they forget they're the ones driving the car. You have to turn the wheel.

You know. "I only know that I've lost my faith in You." The "voice" resonated in my mind. I haven't lost mine in you.

Your brothers have set off a stink bomb in the second-floor boys' lavatory

said, 'Good show.

that palpable odor pumped out through the

Let's show Dr. God what hell feels like.

The day, and it was a day, that writing started to be fun for me, the day things began to really click, was the day I stopped trying to write sentences and started writing stories.

Don't live a life you don't want to talk about.

Never underestimate the power of a good laugh.

expecting. Your mind creates your reality. If you expect nothing, you open up the universe to give you options. If you expect the worst, you usually get it.

A small, weak part that just wanted to be a little girl again, with a family that wasn't sick and broken. But that sure wasn't going to happen, was it?

life is supposed to have ups and downs. But for me, it's been more like ups and downs... and downs... and downs.