Here's the thing: Authors live or die by recommendations. [That's one of the reason I review so many books on Goodreads.] Giving books you love good reviews is one of the nicest things you can do for an author. What's more it's good for the entire community.

Patrick Rothfuss

How about this?' Simmon asked me. "Which is worse, stealing a pie or killing Ambrose?" I gave it a moment's hard thought. "A meat pie, or a fruit pie?

Patrick Rothfuss

fruit pie meat

I've always liked the moonless night best. It's easier to say things in the dark. It's easier to be yourself.

Patrick Rothfuss

being-yourself dark night

This is the nature of love." Vashet said. "To attempt to describe it will drive a woman mad. This is what keeps poets scribbling endlessly away. If one could pin it to paper all complete, the others would lay down their pens. But it cannot be done.

Patrick Rothfuss

mad done paper

I firmly believe that we're all good people, but sometimes it's hard to understand how to do good.

Patrick Rothfuss

sometimes believe people

Over the last month I had pulled a woman from a blazing inferno. I had called fire and lighting down on assassins and escaped to safety. I had even killed something that could have been either a dragon or a demon, depending on your point of view. But there in that room was the first time I actually felt like any sort of hero. If you are looking for a reason for the man I would eventually become, if you are looking for a beginning, look there.

Patrick Rothfuss

fire hero men

Each woman is like an instrument, waiting to be learned, loved, and finely played, to have at last her own true music made.

Patrick Rothfuss

lasts waiting made

I've waited a long time to show these flowers how pretty you are.

Patrick Rothfuss

flower shows long

There is some conflict between religion and science in my world, but that's nothing new. Science, at its root, is a rational discipline. Religion, on the other hand, is fundamentally trans-rational. Both of them attempt to solve problems, but since their methodology is vastly different, they can't help but come into conflict.

Patrick Rothfuss

discipline roots hands

Stories only happen to people who can tell them.

Patrick Rothfuss

stories happens people

Anger can keep you warm at night, and wounded pride can spur a man to wondrous things.

Patrick Rothfuss

pride men night

I spoke it soft, but close enough to brush against her lips. I spoke it quiet, but near enough so that the sound of it went twining through her hair. I spoke it hard and firm and dark and sweet.

Patrick Rothfuss

dark hair sweet

A lot of new writers assume you have to know the where the story is going and that it flows out as molten gold. But really, sometimes you think you are going to one place, but then you decide that is dumb idea. Then you go somewhere else and it is a worse idea. But then you switch again and you might have a beautiful accident.

Patrick Rothfuss

somewhere-else beautiful thinking

There can be many opinions on a thing, but there is only one truth." Vashet smiled lazily. "And if the pursuit of the truth was my goal, that would concern me." She gave a long yawn, stretching like a happy cat. "Instead I will focus on the joy in my heart, [...}

Patrick Rothfuss

cat heart long

On the other hand, winning awards is cool. Aside from the warm fuzzy, it creates publicity, and that helps spread the word about the book. Plus, this award was a plaque of some sort. I could have used that for all sorts of things. Obviously it would be useful for decorating the barren walls of my house and intimidating my enemies, but that's just for starters.

Patrick Rothfuss

wall winning book

Music sounds different to the one who plays it. It is the musician's curse.

Patrick Rothfuss

music sound play

It's the questions we can't answer that teach us the most. They teach us how to think.

Patrick Rothfuss

fantasy-stories answers thinking

You,” I said, “are sweet music in a distant room.

Patrick Rothfuss

said sweet rooms

You have to be a bit of a liar to tell a story the right way.

Patrick Rothfuss

stories liars way

We all become what we pretend to be.

Patrick Rothfuss

You lack the requisite spine and testicular fortitude to study under me.

Patrick Rothfuss

fortitude spine study