Amanda Roper

“Earlier that day I had found a sheet of paper on which Min’s grandmother had written her definition of the “superior woman.” At the top of the page is said, “Formula for Woman, According to Dignity.” The formula was “Has excellent posture, which is two-thirds contentment and one-third desire."
At first I thought this a bit arbitrary. But all day the idea had been passing through my mind like a mantra. I began to think, in this strange place—half kingdom, half city—that the grandmother’s formula caught the entire world in its tiny palm. Two-thirds contentment, one-third desire. Of course, I thought, as I spiraled my way through the trees to Asia Foodstore, that is the composition of the world.”
― Rebecca Lee, Bobcat and Other Stories

“This is the whole problem with words. There is so little surface area to reveal whom you might be underneath, how expansive and warm, how casual, how easygoing, how cool, and so it all comes out a little pathetic and awkward and choked.”
― Rebecca Lee, Bobcat and Other Stories

“She put her hand on my shoulder, and her eyes let me know, just crouch down, hold tight, there's a little bit of pain for you, but not too much.”
― Rebecca Lee, Bobcat and Other Stories

“Don't gobblefunk around with words.”
― Roald Dahl, The BFG