Who are you?" "I am Death," said the creature. "I thought that was obvious." "But you're so small!" "Only because you are… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
I don’t want to be a Princess,” she said finally. “You can’t make me be one.” She knew very well what became… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
True names,” said September wonderingly. “These are all true names. Like, when your parents call you to dinner and you don’t come… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
You know, in Fairyland-Above they said that the underworld was full of devils and dragons. But it isn’t so at all! Folk… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
For though, as we have said, all children are heartless, this is not precisely true of teenagers. Teenage hearts are raw and… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
I’m a monster,” said the shadow of the Marquess suddenly. “Everyone says so.” The Minotaur glanced up at her. “So are we… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
I have tried to write stories that go into the underworld of myth and bring out life and fire — where the… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
Someone ought to write a novel about me,” said Lebedeva loftily. “I shouldn’t care if they lied to make it more interesting,… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
Stories,' the green-eyed Sigrid said, unperturbed, 'are like prayers. It does not matter when you begin, or when you end, only that… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
You and I, being grown-up and having lost our hearts at least twice or thrice along the way, might shut our eyes… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
... but as has been said, September read often, and liked it best when words did not pretend to be simple, but… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
It’s been me all along,” said September slowly. “Me who gave up my shadow, me who went down into Fairyland-Below and Fairyland-Lower-Than-That… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
Woman! Come out! I have—" She looked down at the bloodless grass, embarrassed. "I have come to rescue you," she finally said,… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
She liked anything orange: leaves; some moons; marigolds; chrysanthemums; cheese; pumpkin, both in pie and out; orange juice; marmalade. Orange is bright… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
Slowly, without taking his eyes from hers, the man in the black coat knelt before her. ”I have come for the girl… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
When I saw him I thought I could curl up inside him and go to sleep and never wake up." "Men are no good… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
We all just keep moving, September. We keep moving until we stop. — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
“You couldn't ever really fix a sad story. You could only make another. And another. And another, until you found the right one at… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
“He considers it for a moment and spits out the seeds, which sprout, quickly, into tiny junkblossoms sizzling with recursive algorithms. The algorithms wriggle… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
“Truly, Mallow yearned to know everything. Curiosity was part of her, like her short blond hair and bitten fingernails.” — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
“The cicada lies in the earth for seventeen years. It is warm and dark there, it is soft and wet. Its little legs curl… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
We all live inside the terrible engine of authority, and it grinds and shrieks and burns so that no one will say: lines on… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
Her heart was bruised by the kiss, smashed and surprised and unsettled by it. September thought kisses were all nice, sweet things asked for… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
“September put her hand on the grip of the Rivet Gun. She’d only just gotten it, and she’d promised to take copious notes for… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
Just tell yourself a story that'll satisfy you and pretend he told it. — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
“You see, the future is a kind of stew, a soup, a vichyssoise of the present and the past. That's how you get the… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
Fairy tales have always been about getting through the worst of everything, the darkest and the deepest and the bloodiest of events. They are… — Catherynne M. Valente Copy Share Image
