The thing that I was brought up to prize above everything else is the intellect. There is no problem that the intellect cannot solve, but it never had an original thought. Originality is the realm of the unconscious. Alan Garner More Quotes by Alan Garner More Quotes From Alan Garner She wants to be flowers, but you make her owls. You must not complain, then, if she goes hunting. Alan Garner hunting flower owl Im not supposed to be within two hundred feet of a school or a Chuck E. Cheese. Alan Garner chuck-e-cheese hangover school The job of a storyteller is to speak the truth. But what we feel most deeply can’t be spoken in words alone. At this level, only images connect. And here, story becomes symbol; symbol is myth. And myth is truth. Alan Garner levels stories jobs Possessive parents rarely live long enough to see the fruits of their selfishness. Alan Garner family parent long It's where I keep all my things. Get a lot of compliments on this. Plus it's not a purse, it's called a satchel. Indiana Jones wears one. Alan Garner purses hangover indiana I love research so much that I do an enormous amount; it helps put off the moment of starting to write the story. Alan Garner research stories writing Everything I have ever written has been in the same chair, in the same room. Alan Garner chairs has-beens rooms I learnt that I must never finish a book with nothing else to do. Alan Garner book I wish Monkeys could Skype. Maybe one day. Alan Garner monkeys one-day wish If you are going to write, nothing will stop you, and if you are not going to write, nothing will make you. Alan Garner ifs writing My attitude is that if anybody of any age wants to read a book, let them, but I do think that no child would want to read Boneland. Alan Garner attitude book children I loathe crowds. I especially dont like cities. A city involves biomass. And biomass gets to me. Alan Garner biomass crowds cities My great-grandfather was a self-taught man, and his library was extraordinary. I read the lot. Alan Garner self grandfather men My background is deep and set in deep time, and in a narrow space, oral traditions going back a long, long time, which I inherited by osmosis. Alan Garner osmosis space long Ive learned never to try and force words to come. Alan Garner ive-learned force trying ... I had never given much credence to the phenomenon of "writer's block". I was more inclined to think of it as "writer's impatience", and to follow Arthur Koestler's dictum: "Soak; and wait. Alan Garner block waiting thinking When you start, the world of publishing seems like a great cathedral citadel of talent, resisting attempts to let you inside. It isn't like that at all. It may be more difficult now, and take longer than when I started to write, but there's a great, empty warehouse out there looking for simple talent. Alan Garner simple writing world When a monkey nibbles on a weenis, it's funny in any language. Alan Garner monkeys language I'll buy metaphor, but simile's a cop-out used by scaredycats who won't commit to anything. Simile's for cowards. Alan Garner cop metaphor coward Hitting the gym to release stress is not nearly as effective as hitting the people that cause the stress to begin with. Alan Garner stress causes people