“She had the look in her eye when you kick and kick at the door and it doesn't open, when you write a boy letters and letters and he never loves you, not ‘til the day he dies. Not even then.”

“Take things as they are. Punch when you have to punch. Kick when you have to kick.”

Bruce Lee (1940–1973) Hong Kong-American actor, martial artist, philosopher and filmmaker

“Don’t you, when strangers and friends come to call, straighten the cushions, kick the books under the bed and put away the letter you were writing? How many of us want any of us to see us as we really are? Isn’t the mirror hostile enough?”

Jeanette Winterson (1959) English writer

“It depends. If I don't let you in, will you huff and puff and blow my house down?"
She had no idea. "I'm more of a kick the door open and cut everyone inside to ribbons kind of wolf.”

Ilona Andrews American husband-and-wife novelist duo

“He looked the boy up and down as if he had never seen a child before and wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to do with one: eat it, ignore it or kick it down the stairs.”

John Boyne (1971) Irish novelist, author of children's and youth fiction

“When an actor has money, he doesn't send letters but telegrams.”

Anton Chekhov (1860–1904) Russian dramatist, author and physician

“You have options when it comes to abortion now. It's not like 1955 when you just had to kick her down a staircase and hope for the best… you feed her a tapeworm and hope it takes a left at the Y.”

Doug Stanhope (1967) American stand-up comedian, actor, and author

“Elizabeth's voice had a door in it. When you opened that door you found another door, and that door opened yet another door. All the doors were nice and led out of her.”

Richard Brautigan (1935–1984) American novelist, poet, and short story writer

“A woman is not to marry a man merely because she is asked, or because he is attached to her, and can write a tolerable letter.”

Jane Austen book Emma

“Is he dead?" he inquired. "He looks dead."
"No," snapped Maryse. "He's not dead."
"Have you checked? I could kick him if you want.”

Cassandra Clare book City of Ashes