Daniela Swansbrough

“In one way, I suppose, I have been "in denial" for some time, knowingly burning the candle at both ends and finding that it often gives a lovely light. But for precisely that reason, I can't see myself smiting my brow with shock or hear myself whining about how it's all so unfair: I have been taunting the Reaper into taking a free scythe in my direction and have now succumbed to something so predictable and banal that it bores even me.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Mortality

“As puzzled as I was by my classmates’ assumptions, their classification of me as a Black American nonetheless comforted me. Could it be that now, finally, I had my own group to belong to? Would Black Americans claim me just because the whites assigned me to them?”
― Maria Nhambu, America's Daughter

“STOP IT! YOU’RE ALL BEHAVING LIKE ANIMALS!’ I shouted so hard my throat immediately began to hurt. ‘WORSE THAN ANIMALS – LIKE BLANKERS!”
― Malorie Blackman, Noughts & Crosses

“He shoved her aside and forced his sword, to the hilt, straight through James’s torso.”
― Gabriel F.W. Koch, Steel Blood