A.s. King

“New skin is a miracle. It's proof that we can heal.”

— A.S. King

“Smile, son! That's the ticket out!”

— A.S. King

Isn't it funny how we live inside the lies we believe?

— A.S. King

“You're like an alcohol in my veins.”

— A.S. King

“You'll never lose me, Vera. I'm the Great Hunter now.”

— A.S. King

I was also built from delusional optimism and folly.

— A.S. King

Only you can allow yourself to be angry.

— A.S. King

“But I’m not just my genes, Dad.”

— A.S. King

“Tell that guy to kiss my white vivacious ass. He never met me.”

— A.S. King

“I look back at Danny and I think about what Ginny said to me: Friends act like friends. My stomach tightens.”

— A.S. King

“Cancer doesn’t give a shit how much you want to live. If it wants to kill you, it will.”

— A.S. King

“I have gone from invisible Vera Dietz to invincible Vera Dietz.”

— A.S. King

“Listen to me. They may control what you do, but no one can pee on your soul without your permission.”

— A.S. King

“Why trade a chance at real happiness for a misery I already knew?”

— A.S. King

“Maybe most other people are messed up, too. It just wasn't aired on TV.”

— A.S. King

Everybody's always looking for the person they're better than

— A.S. King

“I want a mission. Not someone else’s mission, either. I want my own mission. Something I think up myself. Something I actually…

— A.S. King

“I think back to the last thing Dave said to me and try to imagine what escaping oxygen would look like. It…

— A.S. King

“Is it okay to hate a dead kid? Even if you loved him once? Even if he was my best friend? Is…

— A.S. King

I didn't think about anything past tomorrow because anything past tomorrow was just like cloud busting - it depended soley on the…

— A.S. King

“Most people don't think past themselves. I know that. But I want Vera to see other people. To respect other people. To…

— A.S. King

“She talks about how she can't exercise because of the ailments-a bad back, sore knees, breathing difficulties-all caused by her weight gain.”

— A.S. King

“Apparently, smiling and joking was an additional sign that I needed "real help." And so I initiated Operation Don't Smile Ever. It's…

— A.S. King

“Since that day I saw you in chemistry class with thatt canary yellow shirt, I wanted to make every day Christmas for…

— A.S. King

“Humans don't trust anything-because that's their nature. Half of them have gut feelings they continually ignore. It's not their fault. Instinct rarely…

— A.S. King

“Granddad is on his mat, meditating. He says, "You have to live in the present, Lucky." "But it's impossible to forget." "I…

— A.S. King

“I didn't have the time to slice a hundred shallow cuts into his lips and make him suck limes. I was too…

— A.S. King

“After I lie there for a while, I realize that Dad isn't every going to do anything but be there to drive…

— A.S. King

“Maybe if I hadn’t been so hell-bent on not becoming my parents, I could have saved Charlie. Maybe I would have been…

— A.S. King

“That Sindy. She was so damn smart. But I never told her that. I also never told her that I loved her,…

— A.S. King

“I see it as symbolic. The label no longer fits. His emotional parsimoniousness just got sucked away by the beautiful blue sky.…

— A.S. King

Look at our culture. Look at the computer-enhanced people we compare ourselves to. Look at the expensive cars and trinkets we're all…

— A.S. King

“I know I will have better times in my life, and I might even make myself into someone important, but if the…

— A.S. King

“Everybody sees the ants?" He looks at me and says, "Well, how many people do you think live perfect lives, son? Aren't…

— A.S. King

“It's long past dark, and I don't see anyone walking tonight. Maybe Sundays are off-limits. Maybe my ninja girl even goes to…

— A.S. King

I am tortured too. I am tortured by belly fat and magazine covers about how to please everyone but myself. I am…

— A.S. King

“Dad used to tell me about the guys at the VFW who could feel their amputated limbs. I feel like one of…

— A.S. King

“Then, Valentine’s Day came. There was a dance, and balloons and flowers and cheaply made rings and all sorts of lame teddy…

— A.S. King

“...there's something about telling other people what to ignore that just doesn't work for me. Especially things we shouldn't be ignoring. Kid…

— A.S. King

“Only two hours earlier she was telling me how great I was because I could cook eggs. Now my egg-making means I'm…

— A.S. King