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Robin McKinley

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Famous Robin McKinley Quotes

“The magic in that country was so thick and tenacious that it settled over the land like chalk-dust and over floors and shelves like slightly sticky plaster-dust. (Housecleaners in that country earned unusually good wages.) If you lived in that country, you had to de-scale your kettle of its encrustation of magic at least once a week, because if you didn't, you might find yourself pouring hissing snakes or pond slime into your teapot instead of water.”

IfsCountryMightWaterMagicWeekLandScalesDustFinding YourselfThickShelvesWagesSnakesPouringPondsStickyTenaciousChalkKettlesSlimePlastersTeapotsHissing
Book:Spindle's End
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“Oh,' she said, too bone-weary to pretend: 'I would far rather that I love you as I saw yesterday I do than that I had gone on worshiping you as I did not long since.' And she turned away hastily, and did not see that Little John would reach out to her; and half-running, went to Tuck's cottage, where she could pull on her half-dry clothes, and become a proper outlaw again. At least, she thought, fighting back tears, like this I am Cecil, with a place among friends, and a task to do. I am someone. I wonder if perhaps if I am no longer Cecil, I am no one at all.”

IfsLittlesLongSaidRunningFightingHalfWonderGoneSawsLove YouTearsClothesTasksBonesYesterdayDryReach OutWearyOutlawCottagesFighting Back
Author:Robin McKinley
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“Oh, why does compassion weaken us?' It doesn't, really...Somewhere where it all balances out-don't the philosophers have a name for it, the perfect place, the place where the answers live?-if we could go there, you could see it doesn't.It only looks, a little bit, like it does, from here, like an ant at the foot of an oak tree. He doesn't have a clue that it's a tree; it's the beginning of the wall round the world, to him.”

IfsWorldLooksLittlesDoeNamesBitsAnswersPerfectCompassionTreeFeetWallBalanceLittle BitRoundsPhilosopherClueAntsOaksOak Tree
Author:Robin McKinley
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“When you write your first novel you don't really know what you're doing. There may be writers out there who are brilliant, incisive and in control from their first 'Once upon a time'. I'm not one of them. Every once upon a time for me is another experience of white-water rafting in a leaky inner tube. And I have this theory that while the Story Council has its faults, it does have some idea that if books are going to get written, authors have to be able to write them.”

IfsKnowsWritingFirstsMayDoeBookIdeasStoriesAbleWaterWhiteNovelWrittenTheoryFaultsBrilliantCouncilTubesOnce Upon A TimeRaftingWhite Water
Author:Robin McKinley
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“One day" she told them, "when you have retired, you will go to live with a family who will love you for your beauty and nothing more, and if you're very lucky there will be children, and the children will pet you and pet you and pet you. Ossin has a list, I think, of such children; he sends his hunting-staff out during the months they are not needed for that work, to look for them, and add names to the list." The fleethounds stared back at her with their enormous dark liquid eyes, and believed every word.”

IfsThinkingLooksChildrenEyeNamesDarkLove YouMonthsNeededOne DayLuckyAddListsEnormousPetHuntingStaffRetiredLiquid
Book:Deerskin
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“Cats were often familiars to workers of magic because to anyone used to wrestling with self-willed, wayward, devious magic--which was what all magic was--it was rather soothing to have all the same qualities wrapped up in a small, furry, generally attractive bundle that...might, if it were in a good mood, sit on your knee and purr. Magic never sat on anybody's knee and purred.”

IfsSelfMightUsedQualityMagicCatWorkersMoodKneesAttractiveSatWrestlingSoothingBundlesGood MoodDeviousFurry
Book:Spindle's End
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“I smiled. "I understand now. But It doesn't matter and you needn't apologize. They have been very kind to me too. Even if we did differ a little about suitable dresses." He considered me a moment, a mischievous light creeping into his eyes, and said: "Was THAT the dress - that night you wouldn't come out of your room?" I grinned and nodded, and we both laughed.”

IfsKindLittlesHas BeensSaidMatterMomentsLightEyeNightRoomsDressesHis EyesLaughedApologizingSuitableYour RoomMischievous
Author:Robin McKinley
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