Give me Pablo Neruda, picnic beneath a full moon & iridescent stars, black olives, cherries, dark things, canoe on a river...that's romance.

— Brandi L. Bates

His ruby red rimmed moist eyes were two glasses of cranberry. He wore a cashmere sweater the color of Earl Grey tea...

— Brandi L. Bates

I don't want to be around people who accept me as is, in my unrefined state of becoming. I consistently want people around me who push and encourage me to be my ultimate best, who bring out the inner diamonds. Furthermore, I want to be around those intellectual giants who extract the gold within me, those who force me to read, to attend classes, seminars, conferences, and who steep me in an environment of perpetual growth and upward mobility. Not trying to be funny, but I've learned that I simply cannot afford to invest too much time around mediocrity. It's contagious.

— Brandi L. Bates

In order to grow, I promise you'll have to let go of some habits. 10 times out of 10, they'll be the habits you're most in love with.

— Brandi L. Bates

I will Bassist the canvas of your body like a Broadway Junction wall…and Gordon Parks you for those dark midnights when your scent fades.

— Brandi L. Bates

I would tell my 14-year-old self to never ever, ever put all of your money in one bank account. And love the ones who love you back. You're going to want to quit...DON'T! Oh, and get everything in writing.

— Brandi L. Bates

Like caterpillars our metamorphosis begins with what comes from our mouth. Caterpillars spin silk cocoons from the mouth. We speak life or death, success or failure. All transformation starts with what comes from our mouth.

— Brandi L. Bates

Low-key punch drunk off this Sangria-sweet love and all its prodigious trappings…

— Brandi L. Bates

Most people don't have real friends. You have people in your life waiting for opportunities to see what YOU can do for them.

— Brandi L. Bates

Never accept yourself as a finished product. Be a finished product when you die. As long as you have breath in your lungs, expand yourself.

— Brandi L. Bates