"All that you touch
You Change.

All that you Change
Changes you.

The only lasting truth
is Change.

God
is Change.

EARTHSEED:THE BOOKS OF LIVING"
— Octavia E. Butler (Parable of the Sower)

"I just knew there were stories I wanted to tell."
— Octavia E. Butler

"All struggles are essentially power struggles. Who will rule? Who will lead? Who will define, refine, confine, design? Who will dominate? All struggles are essentially power struggles,and most are no more intellectual than two rams knocking their heads together."
— Octavia E. Butler

"When your rage is choking you, it is best to say nothing.
"
— Octavia E. Butler (Fledgling)

"When apparent stability disintegrates,
As it must-
God is Change-
People tend to give in
To fear and depression,
To need and greed.
When no influence is strong enough
To unify people
They divide.
They struggle,
One against one,
Group against group,
For survival, position, power.
They remember old hates and generate new ones,
The create chaos and nurture it.
They kill and kill and kill,
Until they are exhausted and destroyed,
Until they are conquered by outside forces,
Or until one of them becomes
A leader
Most will follow,
Or a tyrant
Most fear.

Earthseed: The Books of the Living
Lauren Oya Olamina"
— Octavia E. Butler

"Change
is the one unavoidable,
irresistible,
ongoing reality of the universe.
To us,
that makes it the most powerful reality,
and just another word for
God.

Earthseed: The Books of the Living
Lauren Oya Olamina"
— Octavia E. Butler

"First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you're inspired or not. Habit will help you finish and polish your stories. Inspiration won't. Habit is persistence in practice."
— Octavia E. Butler

"Beware
At war
Or at peace,
More people die
Of unenlightened self-interest
Than of any other disease"
— Octavia E. Butler

"He could not tell her that he was angry because she did not love him. Even he could not utter such foolishness. Certainly, he did not love her. He did not love anyone except perhaps Isaac and a very few of his other children. Yet he wanted Anyanwu to be like his many other women and treat him like a god in human form, competing for his attention no matter how repugnant his latest body nor even whether he might be looking for a new body. They knew he took women almost as readily as he took men. Especially, he took women who had already given him what he wanted of them--usually several children. They served him and never thought they might be his next victims. Someone else. Not them."
— Octavia E. Butler (Wild Seed)

"He was like me - a kindred spirit crazy enough to keep on trying."
— Octavia E. Butler

"The destiny of Earthseed is to take root among the stars."
— Octavia E. Butler

"The destiny of Earthseed is to take root among the stars."
— Octavia E. Butler

"I'm a pessimist if I'm not careful, a feminist, a Black,...an oil-and-water combination of ambition, laziness, insecurity, certainty, and drive.
"
— Octavia E. Butler

"'I'm Valerie Rye,' she said, savoring the words. 'It's all right for you to talk to me.'"
— Octavia E. Butler (Bloodchild and Other Stories: Second Edition)

"To get along with God,
Consider the consequences of your behavior.
Earthseed: The Books of the Living"
— Octavia E. Butler