Quotes by M. A. Courtney

“You think,' she said, 'because you've identified one purpose of mine, that you know what I'm doing. But this inquiry among printers was something of a discovered attack.'[...]'What do you mean, a discovered attack?''A tactical term.' She touched her fingertips together. 'When you make a move, you do two things. First, you move forward - and the space you now occupy has value. But you also vacate the spot where you once were, exposing your enemy's flank to longer-ranged attacks. Be aware of where you are, and the space you'll leave behind.''That's not a sense of tactics you have,' he said, blinking down at her. 'That sounds like actual tactical training. Where would a half-blind near-spinster acquire that?””

“It makes me sad, truly, that you were made to feel as though you were annoying or stupid or that you aren't beautiful when you talk about the things you love or that you aren't interesting at 7 p.m. or 5 a.m. Your existence is important. You are important.””

“I made you a mix tapeThat I worried you’d hateBut you called me at three a.m.With it playingSoftly sayingSong number threeIs about you and meand I’ve felt the same way for a while””

“He blinked, utterly startled. She wasn’t looking at him. Of course she wasn’t looking at him. She studied the pavement beneath her feet as if she were just another pale, downtrodden woman, unable to look him in the eyes. “Pretending?” He felt almost dangerous. “You don’t meet my eyes. You whisper your clever responses. You shy away from any hint that you’re an intelligent woman. You’re the one who pretends, my dear.” Her eyes widened slightly. “That”

“Sometimes trying isn’t enough. But we have to try, or we become indistinguishable from the beast we’re fighting.””

“When it’s 3 a.m. and alcohol is the only thing that helps me sleep. They didn’t warn me that heartache doesn’t always have someone to blame. Sometimes it’s no one’s fault (it’s probably all mine).””

“I didn’t know my bones could ache forever for so long. They say there’s beauty in sadness but I don’t think so (at least not like this). When it’s 3 a.m. and alcohol is the only thing that helps me sleep. They didn’t warn me that heartache doesn’t always have someone to blame. Sometimes it’s no one’s fault (it’s probably all mine).””

“One of the real problems with the breakdown of interpersonal relations in the digital age,” she continued, her voice steadier now, “is that people don’t know how to be intimate anymore. For example”