Quotes from Carrie Vaughn

Apparently it was unethical for lawyers to sleep with their clients. This from a man who offered legal representation to assassins.

1980's: not a time period but a state of mind.

I admit, I'm suspicious of any career planning that involves chasing the next 'big thing,' just because it's so hard to predict what the next big thing is going to be a couple of years - or even six months - out.

Don't hold back in your writing. Take risks. Go ahead and tackle that crazy idea that you think will never fly, because that may be the one that makes you stand out from the crowd. Keep pushing the envelope.

My parents are both huge science-fiction and fantasy fans - I was fed it.

I got into an argument with my original publisher. They wanted me to do 'Kitty' and nothing else. I wanted to do lots of things, not just 'Kitty' books.

If you sell yourself short before you even start, you'll never know how far you could have gone. Ambition is a wonderful thing and has gotten me farther than I ever thought I'd go.

One inch at a time, that was how her father had taught her. You can't do anything but worry about the few inches right in front of you.

If vampires ever spend less time playing theatrics and living down to their stereotypes, they might actually take over the world someday

All writing and publishing is very difficult, regardless of genre. There are going to be obstacles no matter what.

Have a picture in mind of the kind of career you want, the kind of writer you want to be. This will help you make tough decisions when you reach crossroads - choosing an agent, deciding to accept deals.

When aspiring writers ask me about how they should target their writing, I tell them to pay no attention to that kind of thing. It will restrict you. You will end up falling into stereotypes in an effort to tailor your work toward a perceived genre category.

Writers can feel pretty powerless in the big corporate world of publishing, but sometimes our greatest power is the ability to say 'no.'

I got a crash-course education in urban fantasy. I suddenly had to look up all these other writers I was supposed to be in a genre with. I instantly had to become an expert in this genre I knew almost nothing about.

I wanted to be Carrie Vaughn the awesome writer, not the chick who writes the 'Kitty' books.

He's a bully. I love bullies. They have such big, shiny red buttons to push.

A lot of what we're doing here deals with perception rather than truth. Many would argue that reality depends more on the former than the latter.

The supernatural world was like an onion. You peel back the layers, only to find more layers, on and on, hopelessly trying to reach the mysterious core. Then you start crying.

I had a few really bad years in school, just from not fitting in and being bullied. It was kind of brilliant being a military brat, though, because when you're in that kind of situation, you just think, 'I only have to hang on for another year, because then we'll move. It'll be fine if I can just get out of here.'

What's interesting to me is how many vampire/urban fantasy authors are writing young adult series as well, often set in the same world as their adult books, but focused on a younger audience.

Robin McKinley's 'The Blue Sword' was a defining book of my teen years, and I'd love to have more books like that in the world.

Just so you know, I'm straight. Totally straight. As an arrow. Her voice held a smile. So am I

One inch at a time, that was how her father had taught her. You can't do anything but worry about the few inches right in front of you.

It's my husband. I think— I think he's a zombie." I smiled. "Believe it or not, I get this one a lot. Can you describe his behavior? Why do you think he's a zombie?" She huffed. "He doesn't do anything! He sits on the sofa all day watching TV and that's it.