Tammy Maker

“If you’ve ever studied mortal age cartoons, you’ll remember this one. A coyote was always plotting the demise of a smirking long-necked bird. The coyote never succeeded; instead, his plans always backfired. He would blow up, or get shot, or splat from a ridiculous height.

And it was funny.

Because no matter how deadly his failure, he was always back in the next scene, as if there were a revival center just beyond the edge of the animation cell.

I’ve seen human foibles that have resulted in temporary maiming or momentary loss of life. People stumble into manholes, are hit by falling objects, trip into the paths of speeding vehicles.

And when it happens, people laugh, because no matter how gruesome the event, that person, just like the coyote, will be back in a day or two, as good as new, and no worse—or wiser—for the wear.

Immortality has turned us all into cartoons.”
― Neal Shusterman, Scythe

“Beautiful books, full of knowledge and beauty and ideas. All lost, thanks to a mad monk who, in the end, became a little too mad even for the church he served.”
― Jodi Taylor, No Time Like the Past

“Pendergast," Ridder said. His voice was low and very, very cold. Despite herself, Corrie shivered when she saw the look on his face.
Pendergast stopped. "Yes?"
Ridder's eyes glittered like mica. "You've disturbed our lunch and agitated our guest. Isn't there something you ought to say to him before you leave?"
"I don't believe so." Pendergast seemed to consider a moment. "Unless, perhaps, it is a quotation from Einstein: 'The only thing more dangerous than ignorance is arrogance.' I would suggest to Dr. Chauncy that in combination, the two qualities are even more alarming.”
― Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child, Still Life With Crows

“people were like icebergs--most of what really went on, especially the ugliness, was submerged”
― Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child, The Wheel of Darkness