Amy Chichi Hsiao

“Does a physician wish for a plague so he can exercise his skill?”
― A.J. Demas, Sword Dance

“I want a reliable, honest man who is not too desperate to be looked after nor too keen on taking care of me, but just a little of both. Those are the things I care about. And if I found a man like that, and he were also the sort of man I would lie awake at night thinking about when he wasn't sharing my bed - then I would know the gods had truly blessed me.”
― A.J. Demas, One Night in Boukos

“In Luth poetry, there was a formula used to indicate a very beautiful woman: you would fall off your horse trying to keep looking at her, as you rode past. That was what the Phemian Adares was like. He had a face like one of the gods painted on the Kossian urns that stood in the summer hall of the kahar- except that unlike them he was always breaking into a smile. And such a smile. You would fall off your horse.”
― A.J. Demas, Something Human

“You are very beautiful,” Ilya said.
Shane smiled without opening his eyes. “Come on.”
“Is the truth. Your freckles.” Ilya grazed a fingertip over his own cheek. “I am nuts about them.”
“I have no idea why. I hate them.”
“Noooo...” Ilya moaned. “Hollander. They are stunning.”
“Stunning?”
“Yes. Am I not using that word right? Very beautiful. Um...take my breath?”
“Wow. Alright”
“I told you...” Ilya grinned. “You love praise.”
When Shane didn’t reply, Ilya said, “And you like to hog it all for yourself. You asshole.”
― Rachel Reid, Heated Rivalry