black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

But the dust! And the clutter! My housewifely and scholarly instincts were equally offended.

Barbara Mertz

Is is difficult to be angry with a gentleman who pays you compliments, even impertinent compliments. Especially impertinent compliments.
BARBARA MERTZ

Gentleman Men Pay
Dogs can be made to feel guilty about anything, including the sins of their owners. Cats refuse to take the blame for anything – including their own sins.
BARBARA MERTZ

Blame Cat Dog
Children, I feel, are as much entitled to privacy as human beings.
BARBARA MERTZ

Children Feel Privacy
Conventional history completely ignores half the human race.
BARBARA MERTZ

Half History Race
Superstition has its practical uses.
BARBARA MERTZ

Practical Superstitions Use
Writing is like a bird-watcher watching for birds: the stories are there: you just have to train yourself to look for them.
BARBARA MERTZ

Bird Looks Writing
Love has a very dulling effect on the brain
BARBARA MERTZ

Brain Dulling Effects Love
Another dead body. Every year it is the same. Every year, another dead body.
BARBARA MERTZ

Another Body Every Year Years
Exaggeration is the cheapest form of humor.
BARBARA MERTZ

Exaggeration Form Humor
I do hope you have some money. I’m getting tired of hitting people.
BARBARA MERTZ

Hitting People Tired
Husbands do not care to be contradicted. Indeed, I do not know anyone who does.
BARBARA MERTZ

Care Contradicted Husband
His masculinity was only too apparent
BARBARA MERTZ

Apparent Masculinity Only
Most men are reasonably useful in a crisis. The difficulty lies in convincing them that the situation has reached a critical point
BARBARA MERTZ

Crisis Lying Men
It’s not unsporting to thrash a cowardly cad,’ said Simmons. ‘Everyone knows you don’t fight like a gentleman.’ ‘That might be called an oxymoron,’ Ramses said. ‘Oh–sorry. Bad form to use long words. Look it up when you get home.’ The poor devil didn’t know how to fight, like a gentleman or otherwise.
BARBARA MERTZ

Fighting Home Sorry
Sometimes the characters develop almost without your knowing it. You find them doing things you hadn’t planned on, and then I have to go back to page 42 and fix things. I’m not recommending it as a way to write. It’s very sloppy, but it works for me.
BARBARA MERTZ

Character Knowing Writing
I do not scruple to employ mendacity and a fictitious appearance of female incompetence when the occasion demands it.
BARBARA MERTZ

Appearance Demand Female

But the dust! And the clutter! My housewifely and scholarly instincts were equally offended.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

But the dust! And the clutter! My housewifely and scholarly instincts were equally offended.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Barbara Mertz Quotes