Ceca, I do think it is unfair. People in novels are fainting all the time, and I never can, no matter how badly I need to.

— Patricia C. Wrede

Four of us,' said Morten. The cats yowled. 'Yes, I know, and of course you're coming, but you can't carry a bucket of soapy water, so for the purposes of this discussion it doesn't matter,' she told them. The cats gave her an affronted look, turned their backs, and began making indignant little noises at each other.

— Patricia C. Wrede

He doesn't seem very impressed," Imogene commented in some amusement." Why should he be?" Kabul said." Well, you're a dragon," Imogene answered, a little taken aback." What difference does that make to a cat?

— Patricia C. Wrede

Humility is as good for the soul as it is for the memory

— Patricia C. Wrede

I'd rather be eaten by a dragon.

— Patricia C. Wrede

I loved getting my M. B. A., and I really enjoyed being an accountant and financial analyst before I quit my day job twenty-five years ago to write full-time. I just liked writing more…plus, I knew even then that as a full-time writer, I'd get plenty of chances to do business-type stuff, while as an accountant, I probably wouldn't get a lot of opportunities to write about dragons.

— Patricia C. Wrede

In fact, “talent” is as common as mud; what’s rare is the motivation to sit down and actually do something with one’s talent, the discipline to do it regularly, and the persistence to stick with it until it’s finished.

— Patricia C. Wrede

(In reply to the question, 'Would you like some suggestions for a plot for your next book?') There are three problems with getting plot suggestions from other people. The first is that ideas are the easy part of writing; finding the time and energy to get them down on paper is the hard part. I have plenty of ideas already. Which brings me to the second problem: the ideas that excite you, the ones you think would make a terrific book, are not necessarily the same ideas that excite me. And if a writer isn't excited about an idea, she generally doesn't turn out a terrific book, even if the idea is terrific. And the third problem with my using your suggestions is that, theoretically, you could sue me if I did, and that tends to make publishers nervous, which makes it hard to sell a book. So thank you, but no.

— Patricia C. Wrede

Is it your background, then?" Lord Fran ton smiled and shook his head. "That need not worry you. You're a wizard now; what you were before does not matter to me."" Yes, it does," Kim said softly. "Because part of the time you're sorry about it, and part of the time you think it makes me interesting, and part of the time you ignore it. But you never forget it.

— Patricia C. Wrede

It's a hard thing to risk what you know and are sure of, just for the possibility of something better. Even when it's a pretty strong possibility, and something that's a lot better.

— Patricia C. Wrede