Sheila Turnage > Quotes

“Never underestimate the power of stupid.”
― Sheila Turnage, Three Times Lucky

“My heart leaped like the cheerleader I will never be.”
― Sheila Turnage, Three Times Lucky

“I never forgive. I like revenge too much.”
― Sheila Turnage, Three Times Lucky

“We can't change the past, Soldier. We can only be grateful for the life of a new day, and move on.”
― Sheila Turnage, Three Times Lucky

“You what?" Dale yelped, looking like I'd handed him something dead. "You ain't writing during summer vacation, are you? I'm pretty sure that's against the rules.”
― Sheila Turnage, Three Times Lucky

“Except for that, everything's going great. Well....there's been a murder and we're out of soup.”
― Sheila Turnage, Three Times Lucky

“Dale can't tolerate other people throwing up. He gets what's known as the Synchronized Heaves.”
― Sheila Turnage, Three Times Lucky

“I'm Baptist. So far, Fast or Never is the only speeds I got with forgiving.”
― Sheila Turnage, Three Times Lucky

“It's never too late to make a better decision”
― Sheila Turnage, The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing

“Yes ma'am," I said, "Anna Celeste's party is Saturday, but I don't need a ride.... No ma'am. It's because Anna Celeste is my Sworn Enemy for Life and I'd rather go face-down in a plate of raw chicken entrails than go to her party. Plus I'm not invited....”
― Sheila Turnage, Three Times Lucky

“For me, it was a Gold Star day. I'd identified an enemy, and I'd made a life decision: I might come home tore up from fighting or late from being punished, but I'd never come home crying. So far, I ain't.”
― Sheila Turnage, Three Times Lucky

“Dale's family is like that. Let the Law come within twenty yards of them, and every male over the age of six--uncles, brother, father, cousins--starts lying his fool head off. Dale says it's genetic. Miss Lana says that's poppycock.”
― Sheila Turnage, Three Times Lucky

“As I watched them together, my earth found its axis and my stars found their sky.”
― Sheila Turnage, Three Times Lucky

“When you're not used to normal, it pinches like new shoes.”
― Sheila Turnage, The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing

“It's hard to know what to say when your best friend serenades an amphibian. On one hand, Miss Lana likes me to be sensitive. On the other hand, the Colonel says most situations don't require my input.”
― Sheila Turnage, The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing

“Stress focuses you right up until it sucks your brain dry.”
― Sheila Turnage, The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing

“We’re born over and over, day by day. When you feel lost, let the stars sing you to sleep. You’ll always wake up new.”
― Sheila Turnage, Three Times Lucky

“Many things look like life or death at four a.m.,' she said. 'They generally look better in their day clothes.”
― Sheila Turnage, The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing

“We got peanut butter and jelly, peanut butter and raisins, and a delicate peanut butter/peanut butter combination. These come crunchy or smooth, on Wonder Bread, hand-squished flat on the plate or not, as you prefer. The special today is our famous peanut butter and banana sandwich. It comes on Wonder Bread, cut diagonal on the plate, with crust or without. What can I start you with?”
― Sheila Turnage, Three Times Lucky

“Dale can choose not to worry like he chooses not to wear socks.”
― Sheila Turnage, Three Times Lucky

“The Colonel says all attorneys should be named for blood sucking insects so we know up front who we are dealing with.”
― Sheila Turnage, Three Times Lucky

“It's Friday," I reminded her. "We prefer our homework to age over the weekend, making it tender.”
― Sheila Turnage, The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing

“They found Mr. Jesse in a boat?" I asked. "I'm wondering if maybe he just up and died. Maybe there ain't no murder. Like the fish weren't biting and he died of boredom. It happens. Boredom kills. I've had close brushes myself, during math.”
― Sheila Turnage, Three Times Lucky

“If you don't stand up for the glimmer of good left in somebody, how will it ever be more?”
― Sheila Turnage, The Odds of Getting Even

“Sal loves Dale like midnight loves stars. So far, he hasn't noticed.”
― Sheila Turnage, The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing

“Is it true, then, Mayor?" Grandmother Miss Lacy Thornton warbled from the end of the counter. "Is Jesse Tatum officially dead?"
"Dead is such an unflattering term," he said, sliding onto his stool. "I prefer to think of Jesse as... passe."
The Azalea Women gasped.
"What's passe mean?" Tinks Williams asked the Colonel, his voice low.
"Dead," the Colonel said, refilling Tink's iced tea.”
― Sheila Turnage, Three Times Lucky

“I'm Jake Exum," he said. "This is my brother Jimmy. Until now we been homeschooled."
"Mama expelled us," Jimmy added.”
― Sheila Turnage, The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing

“There's no limit to what some people will say, and what others will believe.”
― Sheila Turnage

“In that instant, your billboard careened ashore on a wall of water, cracking the back of my head. I reached for balance and touched what I thought was a puppy. Then you grabbed my finger. My God, I thought. It's a baby. I fainted dead away. That's how Macon found us the next day — me unconscious on half a billboard, you nestled in my arms, nursing on the pocket of my uniform. The half billboard said: "...Cafe...Proprietor." Our path seemed clear.

I will always love your mother for letting you go, Soldier, and I will always love you for holding on.

Love, the Colonel.

PS: I apologize for naming you Moses. I didn't know you were a girl until it was too late.”
― Sheila Turnage, Three Times Lucky

“You don't have a plan, do you? I knew it," he said, his eyes filling with tears. "I knew not to come to a ghost farm with you during a hurricane.”
― Sheila Turnage, Three Times Lucky