“I stepped forward. Call me old-fashioned, but I wanted to keep his focus on me and not Annabeth. I think it’s polite for a guy to protect his girlfriend from instant incineration.”

“I wanted to sign up and fight with you guys, but they told me I was too old.”

Bruce Willis (1955) American actor, producer, and musician

“People see me and think I have lots of girlfriends, do I look like I have lots of girlfriends?”

Cornelius Keagon (1996) Liberian humanitarian aid worker

“Keep me preoccupied
Keep me busy, busy, busy
So I won't have to think
I don't want to think
Because it only brings me pain
I just keep running away from
My problems
Keep me busy
Give me a million things to do
So I can keep running away from myself.”

Henry Rollins (1961) American singer-songwriter

“Protect me from what I want.”

Jenny Holzer (1950) American conceptual artist

“Jason squared his shoulders, drew the Sword of - I couldn't give a toss what it's supposed to be called, he said to himself, I shall call it Freckles - and took one step forward.”

Tom Holt (1961) British writer

“I was an engineer, and they wanted a model, a fashionable guy.”

Marlene Schmidt (1937) German actress

“Me, I’m late to meet my girlfriend. Annabeth is going to kill me.
Hope you enjoyed the stories. Stay safe out there, demigods.
Peace from Manhattan,
Percy Jackson”

Rick Riordan (1964) American writer

“If you want to identify me, ask me not where I live, or what I like to eat, or how I comb my hair, but ask me what I am living for, in detail, ask me what I think is keeping me from living fully for the thing I want to live for.”

Thomas Merton (1915–1968) Priest and author

“This is what I wanted. This guy. This life. This me. I was never getting my old life back, and I didn't care. I was happy. I was safe. I was right where I wanted to be.”

Kelley Armstrong The Reckoning