C.E. Clayton > C.E.'s Quotes

“Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”
― John Greenleaf Whittier

“Nowadays a broken heart will run to many editions.”
― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray and Other Works

“Tallis is a beautiful and terrible thing. Fearsome and alluring. Just like the forest in many ways... but it's written all over that handsome, pale face of yours; you like her.”
― C.E. Clayton, The Duality of Nature

“Tallis had persevered through and unshakable feeling of not truly belonging... She understood the responsibility her family constraints put upon her, and while Lana knew Tallis's heart trembled and raged at the perceived indignity of it all, she had grown up into a charming, beautiful woman with shoulders that refused to bow to a world that demanded they should.”
― C.E. Clayton, The Duality of Nature

“If death meant just leaving the stage long enough to change costume and come back as a new character...Would you slow down? Or speed up?”
― Chuck Palahniuk, Invisible Monsters

“All those things that you are, and all those things you will be, are still up to you. And the woman I know would never let a little thing like this turn her into a monster.”
― C.E. Clayton, The Heart of the Forest

“Life was strangely glorious like that sometimes; just as it could be cruel and unforgiving, so could it be a mysterious wonderland of unexpected joy and chance encounters.”
― C.E. Clayton, The Heart of the Forest

“The steps behind us resumed- a cautious brush against the leaves, a shifting branch- and after a while, utter silence. Even the wind seemed to pause its gentle tease through the leaves.

And then a growl tore through the darkness.”
― Tyffany Hackett, Imber

“Tallis wasn't sure what love was, but she was beginning to understand what it could be. It seemed only fitting that as soon as she thought she had found it, that she would be forced to give it up in order to save Selkirk from the sins of its past.”
― C.E. Clayton, The Heart of the Forest

“And who are you really, Tallis? Are you going to be the hero of Selkirk, rather than its monster? A promise of hope, rather than a warning of darker things to come?”
― C.E. Clayton, The Wrath of Silence

“All this time you’ve spoken to it, looked into your soul, and spied that darkness lurking and twisting through the fabric of all that you are. You fed it nothing but your hatred, your anger and guilt, shame, regret, and yes, your loneliness. It grew fat on all the things you wanted to be rid of. You did not suspect? Did the Tallis never consider the darkness within was looking back? Learning? And growing strong, ever stronger. Stupid, foolish girl. The Tallis never knew! Ignoring it all, stuffing all the bad and ugly things down, down, down doesn’t get rid of them. What you choose to feed your divine spark is what it turns into!”
― C.E. Clayton, The Wrath of Silence

“She made a mistake, and no small one at that. Still. I would rather spend the rest of my life hurt by the mistakes of my friends than to let no one in at all.”
― Tyffany Hackett, Tellus

“This was not the first time Ellinor Olysha Rask found herself bound and chained, and she very much doubted it would be her last.”
― C.E. Clayton, Resistor

“Tears stung her eyes and threatened to show a weakness she spent years trying to suppress with cheap whiskey and near suicidal jobs.”
― C.E. Clayton, Resistor

“She was starting to forget which scars she had gotten by Misho’s side, and which would be new to him. Mirrors reminded her too much that she was still here, fearing failure and success alike because it took her further from the man she loved.”
― C.E. Clayton, Resistor

“The reflection no longer held the image of a woman Ellinor recognized, nor particularly liked. She saw a facsimile of herself, someone who was still unsure how to trust, move forward, to live without Misho.”
― C.E. Clayton, Resistor

“Euria was like most of the sprawling metropolises in Erhard: tall skyscrapers that didn’t so much kiss the sky as ram their fist through it, their shadows casting a perpetual false night across the ground where the unfortunate dwelled.”
― C.E. Clayton, Resistor

“Ellinor crossed her arms over her chest, her headache returning in force with Lazar’s words. “So what you’re trying to tell me is, we’re fucked. That about sums it up, yeah?”
Lazar smirked. “I just said we’d be in for trouble.”
― C.E. Clayton, Resistor

“Sometimes, pain is only pain, Ell. It don’t make you stronger. It don’t build no character. It only hurts.”
― C.E. Clayton, Deadlock

“Stop being afraid of living. It’s easy to die for someone. Death is . . . final. You do it once and it’s over. You know what’s harder, more terrifying, yes, but equally rewarding and fulfilling? Living for someone.”
― C.E. Clayton, Deadlock

“Can you truly see nothing, see no one else, due to the light he still casts over your eyes?”
― C.E. Clayton, Deadlock

“One flesh, one end, bitch.”
― Tamsyn Muir, Gideon the Ninth

“Harrowhark said, in the exact sepulchral tones of Marshal Crux: “Death first to vultures and scavengers.”
― Tamsyn Muir, Gideon the Ninth

“So she said, “The arms kind of looked like swords. I want to fight it.” “You want to fight it.” “Yep.” “Because it looked … a little like swords.” “Yop.”
― Tamsyn Muir, Gideon the Ninth