Jerrell Asai

“The music machine played away - far away - and when I started to understand the lyrics of a Cocteau Twins song, I knew I was wrecked.”
― Iain Banks, The Crow Road

“Girls?" I heard my dad's voice—from the sound of it, he was on the landing.

"Yeah?" we both called back in unison.

"Uh—there's someone named Ralph downstairs who claims he's here to marry Linnie."

Linnie shot me an exasperated look, and I clapped my hand over my mouth, trying not to burst out laughing. "He's going to marry her to Rodney," I called. "He's a judge."

"Ah," my dad said. "Well, that makes more sense. I was worried there was going to have to be a duel or something.”
― Morgan Matson, Save the Date

“The door jerked open and he glowered at her. "What do you want?"

"Hey! Why are you mad at me? I just want to talk to you."

"I don't want to talk," he said, pushing the door closed.

With inexplicable courage, she put her booted food in it's path. "Then maybe you can listen."

"No!" he bellowed.

"You're not going to scare me!" she shouted at him.

Then he roared like a wild animal. He bared his teeth, his eyes lit like there were gold flames in them, and the sound that came out of him was otherworldly.

She jumped back, her eyes as wide as hubcaps. "Okay," she said, putting up her hands, palms toward him. "Maybe you do scare me. A little."

-Ian and Marcie”
― Robyn Carr, A Virgin River Christmas

“That's why Twinkle likes the place so much, Scott thought, looking around at the faded wood veneer tables, and the faded souls drinking at them. Misery was soaked through the place like the old beer soaked through its carpets.”
― R.D. Ronald, The Elephant Tree