Sarah

“This is Joe Bentley speaking,” said the figure on the surgery doorstep. It was an odd manner of address, made stranger by the fact that Joe was holding his clenched fist up by his jaw and staring vacantly past me. “’ello, ’ello,” Joe continued as though into space, and suddenly everything became clear. That was an imaginary telephone he was holding and he was doing his best to communicate with the vet; and not doing so badly considering the innumerable pints of beer that were washing around inside him. On”
― James Herriot, All Creatures Great and Small / All Things Bright and Beautiful / All Things Wise and Wonderful: Three James Herriot Classics

“There was a long pause. "Um, I'm afraid I don't know the word in English."
"The word for what?"
"I just said I don't know it!”
― Scott Westerfeld, Leviathan

“It was so beautiful I could hardly keep my eyes off it. “Father, it’s so big,” I said. He grinned. “This is nothing, Tim. Wait till we get down to Verplancks”
― James Lincoln Collier, My Brother Sam is Dead

“I lied,” said the Dog cheerily. “That’s one of the reasons I’m the Disreputable Dog. Besides,”
― Garth Nix, Abhorsen