Carmine Hackathorn

“By the time she turned fifteen, all of that was gone. She hardly spoke in class. She refused to function in any sort of school event, and rather than discuss her feelings she deferred the world with a hard and perfectly practiced smile.

Apparently—if her sister is to be believed—Karen spent every night of her fourteenth year composing that smile in front of a blue plastic handled mirror. Tragically her creation proved flawless and though her near aphonia should have alarmed any adept teacher or guidance counselor, it was invariably rewarded with the pyritic prize of high school popularity.”
― Mark Z. Danielewski, House of Leaves

“People frequently comment on the emptiness in one night stands, but emptiness here has always been just another word for darkness. Blind encounters writing sonnets no one can ever read. Desire and pain cmmunicated in the vague language of sex.”
― Mark Z. Danielewski, House of Leaves

“Our destination is the same in the end, but our journey - part chosen, part determined - is different for us all, and changes even as we live and grow.”
― Iain Banks, The Wasp Factory

“Our hearts are only two pounds, not much room for love.”
― Matthew Stokoe, COWS