That porch is a happy-looking place, and my father - burdened, stoop-shouldered, cadaverously thin - doesn't seem to belong on it. Margaret Haddix More Quotes by Margaret Haddix More Quotes From Margaret Haddix And Nedley started saying,'Shut Up!Quit that! And i knew it really meant something to him. So I asked for his help,"Mark said. "Don't tell the story like that," Nedley laughed. "What he said was 'Quit pretendin you're a bad guy I need your help, and I need it now! Margaret Haddix guy stories needs I am not just what I remember. I am also what I dream. Margaret Haddix dream remember bitter is a bad way to live! Margaret Haddix bitter way-to-live way I loved to read when I was a kid, and as soon as I realized that an actual person got to make up the books I loved so much, I decided that that was the job for me. Margaret Haddix jobs kids book A thousand times today I've started to open my mouth, started to squeak out, "Can you tell me...? But then I'd look into the front seat, at my mother's silent shaking, my father's grim profile, the mournful bags under his eyes, and all the questions I might ask seemed abusive. Assault and battery, a question mark used like a club. My parents are old and fragile. I'd have to heartless to want to hurt them. Margaret Haddix hurt mother fear Governments will rise, and governments will fall, and man will do evil to man, and all we can do is turn our hearts to good. Margaret Haddix heart men fall After Ive sent my revised draft to my agent and editor, they suggest more improvement sand again, this revision phase can take anywhere from a few hours to a few months. Margaret Haddix agents phases editors I think I learned a lot from reading in general - even from reading badly written books. Margaret Haddix reading book thinking I write a book over a period of months or years, and when I'm done with it, usually another year goes by before I see it in print. It's hard to be patient and wait Margaret Haddix writing book years I like playing around with the words; I love it when I feel like I've picked the exact right word to describe whatever it is I'm trying to describe Margaret Haddix playing-around feels trying A ssure you, the more I travel through time, the more I witness, the more I realize that there are things that are both strange and wonderful, far beyond human comprehension. Margaret Haddix realizing strange wonderful I like the fact that kids are willing to be imaginative and go along with me when I'm telling strange tales. Margaret Haddix strange kids facts I was lucky enough not to face any required summer reading lists until I went to college. So I still think of summer as the best time to read for fun. Margaret Haddix reading summer fun There's something about each of my books that I'm really proud of, and there's something about each of my books that I cringe over. Margaret Haddix cringe proud book Sometimes I can spend as long revising a manuscript as I spent writing it in the first place. Margaret Haddix writing long firsts Generally I finish a first draft in 2-6 months, then I set it aside for a while so that when I come back to it I can read it with fresh eyes and figure out how to improve it. Margaret Haddix months eye firsts And yet, I felt a surge of exhilaration just thinking about that night. Not just because I'd met the prince and fallen in love and started on my course toward happiness ever after, but because I'd made something happen. I'd done something everybody had told me I couldn't. I'd changed my life all by myself. Having a fairy godmother would have ruined everything. Margaret Haddix godmother night thinking Unlike my mother, my father does not cry quietly. His wails roll out like a wave of pain, and I scramble to roll up my window. My mother cannot hear that. I cannot bear to hear it myself. I am not used to my father's crying. I've had no time to harden my heart against him. Margaret Haddix pain mother father I snorted "oh, beauty. What's that good for?" Mary stared, her eyes round. "It won you the prince, did it not?" I snorted again, I prefer to think that he was captivated by my charming personality." I giggled to let Mary know I was trying to make fun of myself. Margaret Haddix eye fun thinking I wished I'd known weeks ago that we didn't have to be chaperoned. I remembered my old daydreams: the prince and I, alone together, cuddling and whispering... I probably would have wised up and brocken the engagement sooner. Margaret Haddix engagement cuddling together
