Michael Baham

“The idea that the creative endeavor and mind-altering substances are entwined is one of the great pop-intellectual myths of our time. ... Substance abusing writers are just substance abusers — common garden variety drunks and druggies, in other words. Any claims that the drugs and alcohol are necessary to dull a finer sensibility are just the usual self-serving bullshit. I've heard alcoholic snowplow drivers make the same claim, that they drink to still the demons.”
― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

“Whiskey doesn’t smell the same as gin… yet it does. All alcohol smells the same to me, of sadness and loss. I”
― Stephen King, Fairy Tale

“His dad had told him many times that the definition of a real man is one who cries without shame, reads poetry with his heart, feels opera in his soul, and does what’s necessary to defend a woman.”
― Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing

“And I thank God let me gain understanding enough to know love can't be halted just cause some peoples moan and groan. P.238”
― Alice Walker, The Color Purple