Clif Bergmann

“Evil men rarely convince others to their side by asking them to perform dark deeds for no good reason. They will always start with the lightest shade of gray. They so often use what seems like a good cause.”
― James Islington, The Light of All That Falls

“That evening, however, something strange happened.

Jason was trying to get through page twenty-six, when suddenly he laughed. He read some more and laughed again.

It was as if he and the character had become friends. He read for an entire hour without realizing it.

When he reached page seventy, something sad happened, and he hoped his sister didn't notice his tears.

He stayed up all night. He read about exciting battles, and strange and goofy animals. No matter how tired he got, he kept needing to know what happened next.

The next day during recess, while everyone else played, Jason preferred to sit by himself with his book. He even liked the kissing parts, but had to keep glancing around, to make sure Allison and Rondi couldn't see what he was reading.

The two girls came toward him.

"He'll never finish it," said Allison.

"No way," Rondi agreed.

"Shh," said Jason. "I'm trying to read.”
― Louis Sachar, Wayside School Beneath the Cloud of Doom

“Strength is a choice. Courage is a habit. Unfortunately, cowardice is, too.”
― Brent Weeks, The Burning White

“Faithful people suffer and evil people prosper all the time [...]. Besides, if our actions are driven only by reward or punishment--eternal or otherwise--then they are motivated by greed and selfishness, not faith or love. That is where so many people go wrong, even those who say they believe [...]. They obey because they think it will make their *lives* better, rather than *themselves*. And that is very much the wrong reason.”
― James Islington, The Light of All That Falls