Discover a wealth of wisdom and insight from Ann Leckie through their most impactful and thought-provoking quotes and sayings. Expand your perspective with their inspiring words and share these beautiful Ann Leckie quote pictures with your friends and followers on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or your personal blog - all free of charge. We've compiled the top 189 Ann Leckie quotes for you to explore and share with others.

Didn't Notai ships usually have long names? Like Ineluctable Ascendancy of Mind Unfolding or The Finite Contains the Infinite Contains the Finite? Both of those ship names were fictional, characters in more or less famous melodramatic entertainments. By Ann Leckie Notai Finite Long Ineluctable Ascendancy

Science fiction in particular is often assumed to be about the future, or about some abstract technological or philosophical idea, or just about 'adventure,' but writers can't build worlds out of nothing. We use bits and pieces of the real world to assemble our fictional ones. By Ann Leckie Adventure Science Future Idea Fiction

In a thousand years, Lieutenant, nothing you care about will matter. Not even to you - you'll be dead. So will I, and no one alive will care. Maybe - just maybe - someone will remember our names. More likely those names will be engraved on some dusty memorial pin at the bottom of an old box no one ever opens." Or Ekalu's would. There was no reason anyone would make any memorials to me, after my death. "And that thousand years will come, and another and another, to the end of the universe. Think of all the griefs and tragedies, and yes, the triumphs, buried in the past, millions of years of it. Everything for the people who lived them. Nothing now. By Ann Leckie Lieutenant Matter Years Care Thousand

You take what you want at the end of a gun, you murder and rape and steal, and you call it bringing civilization. And what is civilization, to you, but us being properly grateful to be murdered and raped and stolen from? You said you knew justice when you heard it. Well, what is your justice but you allowed to treat us as you like, and us condemned for even attempting to defend ourselves? By Ann Leckie Civilization Gun Steal End Murder

I love science fiction, and one of the things I love about it is that it's so very different. You can read stuff that's just fast-paced adventure, and the characters are cardboard, but who cares, because they're heroes, and we love it. And you can read stuff that's really deep character, and everything in between. By Ann Leckie Love Fiction Read Stuff Science

It's easy to say that if you were there you would have refused, that you would rather die than participate in the slaughter, but it all looks very different when it's real, when the moment comes to choose. By Ann Leckie Refused Slaughter Real Choose Easy

Do you even know," she said, and I could tell from the sound of her voice that she was about to cry, "can you even imagine what it's like to know that nothing you can do will make any difference? That nothing you can do will protect the people you love? That anything you could possibly ever do is less than worthless?" I could. "And yet you do it anyway." "Superstitious savage that I am." Definitely crying now. "Nothing I do will make any difference. But I will make you look at it. I will make you see what it is you've done, and ever after, if you would look away, if you would ever claim to be just, or proper, you'll have to lie to yourself outright." "Most esteemed Queter," I said, "idealist that you are, young as you are, you can have no idea just how easy it is for people to deceive themselves. By Ann Leckie Make Cry Sound Voice Imagine

Science fiction is huge and varied, and there's almost any sort of book or story you might imagine. By Ann Leckie Science Varied Imagine Fiction Huge

If you've got power and money and connections, some differences won't change anything. Or if you're resigned to dying in the near future, which I gather is your position at the moment. It's the people without the money and the power, who desperately want to live, for those people small things aren't small at all. What you call no difference is life and death to them. By Ann Leckie Connections Money Change Power People

Say exactly what we told you to and nothing will go wrong, they said. Well, it all went wrong anyway. And they didn't say anything about this. You'd think they might have, they said lots of other things. Sit up straight, Dlique. Don't dismember your sister, Dlique, it isn't nice. Internal organs belong inside your body, Dlique. She scowled a moment, as though that last one particularly rankled. By Ann Leckie Dlique Wrong Told Things Sit

I do think that narrative is very important - I think that we use narrative to organize the world around us, and so it does matter a lot what kinds of narratives we have in our inventories and which ones are reinforced so often and so strongly that we habitually reach for them without thinking. By Ann Leckie Important Thinking Narrative Organize World

I've been wanting to compliment you on that', I said to her, in Delsig. 'It was nicely done. Do you compose it that moment, or had you thought about it before? By Ann Leckie Delsig Wanting Compliment Moment Nicely

I've been thinking about it, and I still don't understand exactly why what I said hurt you so much. But I don't need to. It hurt you, and when you told me it hurt you I should have apologized and stopped saying whatever it was. And maybe spent some time trying to understand. Instead of insisting that you manage your feelings to suit me. And I want to say I'm sorry. And I actually mean it this time. By Ann Leckie Hurt Thinking Understand Time Told

Any attempt to list the ten best science fiction novels is doomed to failure. By Ann Leckie Failure Attempt List Ten Science

Imagine your whole life aimed at conquest, at the spread of Radchaai space. You see murder and destruction on an unimaginable scale, but they see the spread of civilisation, of Justice and Propiety, of Benefit for the universe. The death and destruction, these are unavoidable by-products of this one, supreme good. By Ann Leckie Radchaai Spread Imagine Conquest Space

No real endings, no final perfect happiness, no irredeemable despair. Meetings, yes, breakfasts and suppers. By Ann Leckie Endings Happiness Despair Real Final

'Star Trek' still - I'm kind of intrigued by the way that the standard foods of various non-humans are sometimes portrayed as downright disgusting. By Ann Leckie Star Trek Disgusting Kind Intrigued

Life is unpredictable," I said, "and we are not always the people we think we are. If we're unlucky, that's when we discover it. When something like that happens, you have two choices." Or, more than two, but distilled, they came down to two. "You can admit the error and resolve never to repeat it, or you can refuse to admit error and throw every effort behind insisting you were right to do what you did, and would gladly do it again. By Ann Leckie Life Unpredictable People Error Admit

Do you still think Mianaai controls the Radchaai through brainwashing or threats of execution? Those are there, they exist, yes, but most Radchaai, like people most places I have been, do what they're supposed to because they believe it's the right thing to do. No one likes killing people."Strigan made a sardonic noise "No one?""Not many," I amended. "Not enough to fill the Radch's warships". By Ann Leckie Mianaai Radchaai Execution Controls Brainwashing

They lay together in Seivarden's bunk - pressed close, the space was narrow. Ekalu angry - and terrified, heart rate elevated. Seivarden, between Ekalu and the wall, momentarily immobile with injured bewilderment. "It was a compliment!" Seivarden insisted. "The way provincial is an insult. Except what am I?" Seivarden, still shocked, didn't answer. "Every time you use that word, provincial, every time you make some remark about someone's low-class accent or unsophisticated vocabulary, you remind me that I'm provincial, that I'm low-class. That my accent and my vocabulary are hard work for me. When you laugh at your Amaats for rinsing their tea leaves you just remind me that cheap bricked tea tastes like home. And when you say things meant to compliment me, to tell me I'm not like any of that, it just reminds me that I don't belong here. And it's always something small but it's every day. By Ann Leckie Seivarden Ekalu Bunk Pressed Close

Does getting an award make you happy? When you imagine yourself at the ceremony, you're always so eloquent and gracious. In reality, it's kind of awkward. By Ann Leckie Happy Award Make Ceremony Gracious

God's intentions could be discerned by the careful study of even the smallest, most seemingly insignificant events. And the past weeks' events were anything but small and insignificant. By Ann Leckie God Smallest Insignificant Events Intentions

How comforting,' I replied, my voice and my expression steadily serious, 'to think that in these difficult times God is still concerned with the details of the housing assignments. I myself have no time to discuss them just now. By Ann Leckie God Comforting Replied Assignments Voice

The '70s was a decade that was crammed with prominent women science fiction writers, and a lot of women made their debut in that decade or really came to prominence. By Ann Leckie Writers Prominence Decade Women Crammed

Oh and next time you feel like getting hammered, message me. That was some damn good stuff you puked all over yourself, I think it'd only fair I should get some, too. That hasn't already been through you, I mean. By Ann Leckie Hammered Message Time Feel Damn

I tend to edit some as I go - partly because one of the reasons I don't outline much is that I don't know what the next scene will be until I've actually written the previous scene. By Ann Leckie Scene Partly Tend Edit Reasons

The kind of place," I said, still safely in linguistic territory that needed no gender marking, "that will rent me a sledge and sell me a hypothermia kit. How much? By Ann Leckie Place Marking Kit Kind Safely

You never knelt to get anywhere. You are where you are because you're fucking capable, and willing to risk everything to do right, and I'll never be half what you are even if I tried my whole life, and I was walking around thinking I was better than you, even half dead and no use to anyone, because my family is old, because I was born better. By Ann Leckie Knelt Half Capable Life Fucking

From a child I was taught to forgive and forget, but it's difficult to forget these things, the loss of parents, of children and grandchildren. By Ann Leckie Things Parents Grandchildren Forget Child

Surely it isn't illegal here to complain about young people these days? How cruel. I had thought it a basic part of human nature, one of the few universally practiced human customs. By Ann Leckie Surely Days Illegal Complain Young

You and your ship will immediately familiarize yourselves with the guidelines for dealing with citizen civilians. And you will follow them. By Ann Leckie Civilians Ship Immediately Familiarize Guidelines

Writing books can be very individual - one might strike you as helpful that someone else found useless, or that you might not have appreciated at some other time in your life. By Ann Leckie Writing Individual Useless Life Books

One of the awesome things about being a writer is that I can research nearly anything - tea? Bubblegum? Ants? Neurology? Chocolate? Textile production? It doesn't matter. It's all productive work. By Ann Leckie Tea Bubblegum Awesome Things Writer

I'd say my biggest influences are writers like Andre Norton and, particularly when it comes to the Radch, C.J. Cherryh. By Ann Leckie Cherryh Radch Andre Norton Biggest

In non-fiction, I found John Gardner's two writing books to be tremendously helpful. By Ann Leckie John Gardner Nonfiction Helpful Found

We sit here arguing, we can hardly agree on anything, and then you go straight to my heart like that. We must be family. By Ann Leckie Arguing Sit Agree Straight Heart

There is always more after the ending. Always the next morning, and the next. Always changes, losses and gains. Always one step after the other. Until the one true ending that none of us can escape. But even that ending is only a small one, larges as it looms for us. There is still the next morning for everyone else. For the vast majority of the rest of the universe that ending might as well not ever have happened. Every ending is an arbitrary one. Everything ending is from another angle, not really an ending. By Ann Leckie Ending Morning Losses Gains Escape

If that's what you're willing to do for someone you hate, what would you do for someone you love? By Ann Leckie Hate Love

The problem is knowing when what you are about to do will make a difference. I'm not only speaking of the small actions that, cumulatively, over time, or in great numbers, alter the course of events in ways too chaotic or subtle to trace ... if everyone were to consider all the possible consequences of all one's possible choices, no one would move a millimetre, or even dare to breathe for fear of the ultimate results. By Ann Leckie Difference Problem Knowing Make Cumulatively

Strange, how equally important, just different always seemed to translate into some "equally important" roles being more worthy of respect and reward than others. By Ann Leckie Important Strange Equally Roles Translate

I've seen music and songs used in stories, and while sometimes it works really well, often it doesn't. By Ann Leckie Stories Music Songs Works

Water will wear away stone, but it won't cook supper. Everything has its own strengths. Said with enough irony, it could also imply that since the gods surely had a purpose for everyone the person in question must be good for something, but the speaker couldn't fathom what it might be. By Ann Leckie Water Stone Supper Wear Cook

We have a saying, where I come from: Power requires neither permission nor forgiveness. By Ann Leckie Power Forgiveness Requires Permission

Amaat conceived of light, and conceiving of light also necessarily conceived of not-light, and light and darkness sprang forth. This was the first Emanation, EtrepaBo; Light/Darkness. The other three, implied and necessitated by that first, are EskVar (Beginning/Ending), IssaInu (Movement/Stillness), and VahnItr (Existence/Nonexistence). These four Emanations variously split and recombined to create the universe. Everything that is, emanates from Amaat. By Ann Leckie Light Conceived Darkness Notlight Amaat

Occasionally, I hear grumbles about everything being a series or a trilogy, but apart from the question of them maybe selling more books, I think that there's a real problem in trying to introduce a new world or a new concept while also getting your reader to pay close attention to your characters and themes. By Ann Leckie Occasionally Trilogy Books Themes Hear

I'm not going to pretend that I never fantasized about winning the Hugo. Or the Nebula, for that matter. I just never thought it was an actual real possibility. By Ann Leckie Hugo Pretend Fantasized Winning Nebula

My taste in both is pretty eclectic. I do encourage people to try new and different kinds of tea if they can - there are so many different sorts, and so many, flavored or not, and there's bound to be something you like. The same with choral music, really. By Ann Leckie Eclectic Taste Pretty Sorts Flavored

People don't riot for no reason. By Ann Leckie People Reason Riot

Falling didn't bother me. I could fall forever and not be hurt. It's stopping that's the problem. By Ann Leckie Falling Bother Hurt Problem Fall

They were prepared to be disgusted with her ignorance, a baby fresh from training, a matter for mocking and exasperation, yes. But also for sympathy, and some anticipatory pride. Her Bos would be able to claim credit for any of Tisarwat's future accomplishments, because after all they would have raised her. Taught her anything she knew that was really important. They were prepared to be hers. Wanted very much for her to turn out to be the sort of lieutenant they would be proud to serve under. By Ann Leckie Ignorance Training Exasperation Disgusted Baby

The ability to live for five hundred years would be an incredible gift. But I greatly fear it would be a gift only for the wealthy - one that might greatly widen the gap between those with access and those without. By Ann Leckie Gift Ability Live Hundred Years

Pain is a warning," said Anaander Mianaai. "What would happen if you removed all discomfort from your life? No," Mianaai continued, ignoring Seivarden's obvious distress at her words, "I value that moral indignation. I encourage it. By Ann Leckie Anaander Pain Warning Mianaai Seivarden

The smallest, most seemingly insignificant event is part of an intricate whole and to understand why one particular mote of dust falls in one particular path, and lands in one particular location, is to understand the will of Amaat. There is no such thing as "just a coincidence." Nothing happens by chance, but only according to the mind of God. By Ann Leckie Amaat Understand Smallest Path Location

Information is power. Information is security. Plans made with imperfect information are fatally flawed, will fail or succeed on the toss of a coin. By Ann Leckie Information Power Security Plans Flawed

Get some rest. Kalr will bring supper to your quarters. Things will seem better after you've eaten and slept." "Really?" she asked. Bitter and challenging. "Well, not necessarily," I admitted. "But it's easier to deal with things when you've had some rest and some breakfast. By Ann Leckie Rest Things Kalr Quarters Slept

Translator Dlique was saying, very earnestly, Eggs are so inadequate, don't you think? I mean, they ought to be able to become anything, but instead you always get a chicken. Or a duck. Or whatever they're programmed to be. You never get anything interesting, like regret, or the middle of the night last week. By Ann Leckie Eggs Dlique Translator Earnestly Inadequate

Captain," I said after ten steps, without breaking stride. "I do understand that this is the Genitalia Festival. But when you say genitalia, doesn't that usually mean genitals generally? Not just one kind?" For all the steps I'd taken, and as far down the corridor as I could see, the walls were hung with tiny penises. Bright green, hot pink, electric blue, and a particularly eye-searing orange. By Ann Leckie Captain Stride Genitalia Ten Breaking

And it's so easy to just go along. So easy not to see what's happening. And the longer you don't see it, the harder it becomes to see it, because then you have to admit that you ignored it all that time. By Ann Leckie Easy Happening Time Longer Harder

It had been, for both of our lives. Frantic action, then months or even years waiting for something to happen. By Ann Leckie Lives Frantic Action Happen Months

I say what I think," said the woman. "My people don't hide behind masks.""You certainly do," said Awt, equably. "Your mask is rudeness and offensively plain speech. We only see how you wish to appear, not your true self. Mask or not, Watchman Inarakhat has been more honest than you. By Ann Leckie Woman Awt Equably Mask Watchman

This struck me as something of a double bind. Speak and your possession of an opinion was plain, clear to anyone. Refrain from speaking and still this was proof of an opinion. If Captain Rubran were to say, Truly, I have no opinion on the matter, would that merely be another proof she had one? By Ann Leckie Bind Opinion Struck Double Proof

Just how good of a citizen does one have to be" I asked, "in order to have water, air, and medical help? By Ann Leckie Air Asked Water Good Citizen

'Ancillary Sword' picked up the Locus and the BSFA, which surprised the heck out of me. By Ann Leckie Ancillary Sword Bsfa Locus Picked

I came to see her strangely serene manner as both a sign of just how much she expected to get whatever she wanted, and also an instrument by which she managed to do that, plain persistent saying what she wanted to be true in the expectation that it would eventually become so. It's a method I'd found worked best for those who are already positioned to mostly get what they want. Obviously Fosyf had found it worked for her. By Ann Leckie Wanted Plain Strangely Serene Manner

'Fountain of youth' is actually kind of ambiguous - does it mean a way to make everyone healthy and let them live indefinitely? Or are we talking about something that would reset you physically to the way you were in your youth, which for various reasons not all of us would be enthused about? By Ann Leckie Fountain Youth Ambiguous Indefinitely Kind

Food is an excellent way to do very elegant worldbuilding - the kind that can make a fictional world seem real, like it extends way past the edges of the frame. By Ann Leckie Food Worldbuilding Real Frame Excellent

I don't really have guilty pleasures. I like what I like, and I don't worry too much about whether it's supposed to be cool or sophisticated or show that I have good or bad taste or whatever. By Ann Leckie Pleasures Guilty Worry Supposed Cool

One day, I discovered that a couple of people had written 'fanfic' - stories of their own based on my characters. Just the thought of people thinking that hard and deeply about something I've written is incredible. By Ann Leckie Fanfic Day Stories Characters People

The space-dwelling nations of Shis'urna divided the universe into three parts. In the middle lay the natural environment of humans - space stations, ships, constructed habitats. Outside those was the Black - heaven, the home of God and everything holy. And within the gravity well of the planet Shis'urna itself - or for that matter any planet - lay the Underworld, the land of the dead from which humanity had had to escape in order to become fully free of its demonic influence. By Ann Leckie Shisurna Parts Spacedwelling Nations Divided

Junk food's not going anywhere. The specifics of what's being snacked on, and what's considered 'junk' and what's 'healthy' will change, of course, depending on what's available. By Ann Leckie Junk Food Healthy Considered Change

She was probably male, to judge from the angular mazelike patterns quilting her shirt. I wasn't entirely certain. It wouldn't have mattered, if I had been in Radch space. Radchaai don't care much about gender, and the language they speak - my own first language - doesn't mark gender in any way. By Ann Leckie Male Shirt Judge Angular Mazelike

For my part," I replied, "I find forgiveness overrated. There are times and places when it's appropriate. But not when the demand that you forgive is used to keep you in your place. By Ann Leckie Part Replied Overrated Find Forgiveness

Nearly everywhere I've been, popular wisdom has it that the location of humanity's original planet is unknown, mysterious. In fact it isn't, as anyone who troubles to read on the subject will discover, but it is very, very, very far away from nearly anywhere, and not a tremendously interesting place. Or at the very least, not nearly as interesting as the enchanting idea that your people are not newcomers to their homes but in fact only recolonized the place they had belonged from the beginning of time. One meets this claim anywhere one finds a remotely human-habitable planet. By Ann Leckie Mysterious Popular Unknown Wisdom Location

When I need to get away from my desk, I tend to take walks or go places. I also like to bead - working with beads to make jewellery. By Ann Leckie Desk Places Tend Walks Working

You can kill me, you mean. You can destroy my sense of self and replace it with one you approve of. By Ann Leckie Kill Destroy Sense Replace Approve

Writing was something I always as a kid thought would be fabulous and glamorous to be a writer. By Ann Leckie Writing Writer Kid Thought Fabulous

'Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell' by Susanna Clarke is a big, thick book. About a thousand pages in paperback. I've heard several people say the size alone intimidated them. By Ann Leckie Jonathan Strange Norrell Susanna Clarke

When they behave properly, you will say there is no problem. When they complain loudly, you will say they cause their own problems with their impropriety. And when they are driven to extremes, you say you will not reward such actions. What will it take for you to listen? By Ann Leckie Properly Behave Problem Problems Loudly

Your very great pardon, Cousin," said Sphene, "but this having meetings so we can plan to have meetings business is bullshit. I want to talk about ancillaries. By Ann Leckie Cousin Sphene Pardon Bullshit Meetings

Unity, I thought, implies the possibility of disunity. Beginnings imply and require endings. By Ann Leckie Unity Thought Implies Disunity Possibility

The natural environment of humans - space stations, ships, constructed habitats. By Ann Leckie Ships Humans Space Stations Constructed

Civilian casualties?" I asked."There always are. By Ann Leckie Civilian Casualties Asked

In the nineteen years since then, I had learned eleven languages and 713 songs. I had found ways to conceal what I was - even, I was fairly sure, from the Lord of the Radch herself. I had worked as a cook, a janitor, a pilot. I had settled on a plan of action. I had joined a religious order, and made a great deal of money. In all that time I only killed a dozen people. By Ann Leckie Songs Nineteen Years Learned Eleven

Nineteen years, three months, and one week before I found Seivarden in the snow, I was a troop carrier orbiting the planet Shis'urna. By Ann Leckie Shisurna Seivarden Nineteen Years Months

I think a lot of times our culture has an attitude toward art and the production of art that separates artists from the rest of us, like making art or music or painting or whatever is some magical thing that you have to be inspired to do, and special people do it. By Ann Leckie Art Lot Times Culture Attitude

Governor Giarod was fairly good at not panicking visibly, but, I had discovered, not good at actually not panicking. By Ann Leckie Good Panicking Giarod Governor Visibly

I was under no illusions as to my physical attractiveness. It was not such that it would inspire propriety-overwhelming enthusiasm. By Ann Leckie Attractiveness Illusions Physical Enthusiasm Inspire

I would like to point out that as soon as Lieutenant Ekalu let you know that actually, your intended compliment was offensive to her, you immediately stopped trying to be nice. By Ann Leckie Lieutenant Ekalu Nice Point Intended

I think I made my first short fiction sale in 2005. I had been writing unsuccessfully before that. By Ann Leckie Made Short Fiction Sale Writing

When I first started writing, I did mostly short fiction, and I'd work on a short story and get near to being done and have no idea what I'd work on next, and then I'd panic. By Ann Leckie Work Short Writing Fiction Panic

You are very uncomfortable company, Fleet Captain', observed Station Administrator Celar, her voice bitter and sharp. 'Do you do this sort of thing everywhere you go ?''Lately it seems so', I admitted. By Ann Leckie Fleet Captain Celar Station Administrator

You call that rest, do you?" asked Medic. "Up until the bomb went off, yes. By Ann Leckie Medic Rest Asked Call Bomb

No Justice of Toren medic would give One Esk a body with a voice like Breq's. Not unless she wanted to seriously annoy the Esk lieutenants. By Ann Leckie Breq Justice Toren Esk Medic

I read way, way more Andre Norton than could possibly have been healthy. It was a short hop from her to the rest of the library's science fictional and fantastic holdings. By Ann Leckie Andre Norton Healthy Read Possibly

Memory is an event horizon What's caught in it is gone but it's always there. By Ann Leckie Memory Event Horizon Caught

Betrayer! Long ago we promisedTo exchange equally, gift for gift.Take this curse: What you destroy will destroy you. By Ann Leckie Betrayer Destroy Long Equally Gift

Do you love randomly?" She blinked in bewilderment. "What?" "Do you love at random? Like pulling counters out of a box? You love whichever one came to hand? Or is there something about certain people that makes them likely to be loved by you? By Ann Leckie Randomly Love Bewilderment Blinked Random

She was born surrounded by wealth and privilege. She thinks she's learned to question that. But she hasn't learned quite as much as she thinks she has, and having that pointed out to her, well, she doesn't react well to it. By Ann Leckie Privilege Born Surrounded Wealth Learned

Singing together is something human beings just do, and there are hundreds of years worth of just European vocal music available to read and hear. By Ann Leckie European Singing Hear Human Hundreds

After about fourth grade, I do remember borrowing my mother's old portable Olivetti and typing stories out on the back of photocopies of journal articles. By Ann Leckie Olivetti Grade Articles Fourth Remember

One of the nice things about a second book is that your readers already have so much of the introductions on board, they don't have to put all their attention into figuring out the world and can more easily let that play out as a background to the other things you want to do. By Ann Leckie Things Board Nice Book Readers

I've always enjoyed making up stories, especially when I was bored and just sitting around. It got really serious after the children came along. By Ann Leckie Stories Enjoyed Making Bored Sitting

I've been thinking about it, since you said it," said Seivarden. No, said Mercy of Kalr. "And I've concluded that I don't want to be a captain. But I find I like the thought that I could be. By Ann Leckie Seivarden Thinking Kalr Mercy Captain

I've been surprised at the number of people who were really angry that I tried to convey gender neutrality by using a gendered pronoun. By Ann Leckie Pronoun Surprised Number People Angry

I can't see potato chips being popular where there's not land to grow potatoes in or where frying in lots of oil isn't easy or convenient. By Ann Leckie Convenient Potato Chips Popular Land

Good, good. Always remember, Fleet Captain - internal organs belong inside your body. And blood belongs inside your veins. By Ann Leckie Good Fleet Captain Inside Remember

I do realize the impulse to classify people by the food and art they consume is strong - sometimes I have to remind myself not to do that. By Ann Leckie Strong Realize Impulse Classify People

The lessons of slushing and editing build up over time, and you're not necessarily thinking about them while you're working, but they're in the back of your mind, probably influencing your choices. By Ann Leckie Time Working Mind Choices Lessons

But the angrier you get the more painstakingly correct your speech becomes, By Ann Leckie Angrier Painstakingly Correct Speech

And what is civilization, to you, but us being properly grateful to be murdered and raped and stolen from? By Ann Leckie Civilization Properly Grateful Murdered Raped

Working for several years as a waitress, you learn really quickly a couple of default scripts, so you know exactly what the interaction is going to be when the person sits down at the table. By Ann Leckie Working Waitress Scripts Table Years

I suspect that we get used to particular sorts of stories being presented in particular sorts of ways, and we're so used to interpreting them and understanding what it is they're doing that we think of those forms and styles as faithful, complete depictions of reality. By Ann Leckie Sorts Faithful Complete Reality Suspect

I don't think anybody submits their first story and sells right away. By Ann Leckie Submits Story Sells

Kids are fabulous, but when you're home all day with an infant that can't talk, your brain starts to kind of melt, and I thought, 'I have to do something, or my brain is just going to liquefy.' By Ann Leckie Brain Kids Fabulous Talk Melt

Without feelings insignificant decisions become excruciating attempts to compare endless arrays of inconsequential things. It's just easier to handle those with emotions. By Ann Leckie Things Feelings Insignificant Decisions Excruciating

Virtue is not a solitary, uncomplicated thing. By Ann Leckie Virtue Solitary Uncomplicated Thing

Thoughts are ephemeral, they evaporate in the moment they occur, unless they are given action and material form. Wishes and intentions, the same. Meaningless, unless they impel you to one choice or another, some deed or course of action, however insignificant. Thoughts that lead to action can be dangerous. Thoughts that do not, mean less than nothing. By Ann Leckie Thoughts Ephemeral Occur Form Action

You do have a thousand years' seniority, after all.""A thousand years' back pay," said a dock inspector, in an awed voice. By Ann Leckie Thousand Years Seniority All Pay

Good necessitates evil and the two sides of that disk are not always clearly marked. By Ann Leckie Good Marked Necessitates Evil Sides

Fortunately or unfortunately, NaNoWriMo requires you to write at a breakneck pace, so I got used to just pushing on through. By Ann Leckie Fortunately Nanowrimo Pace Requires Write

So much is metaphor, an inadequately material way to speak of immaterial things. By Ann Leckie Metaphor Things Inadequately Material Speak

Choose my aim, take one step and then the next. It had never been anything else. By Ann Leckie Choose Aim Step

Fuck! Is that what Special Missions is like? By Ann Leckie Fuck Special Missions

Sometimes it feels it's us and Ship against everyone else. By Ann Leckie Ship Feels

When I was a kid, I had no perception whatever that science fiction was supposed to be a boys' club. By Ann Leckie Kid Club Perception Science Fiction

Children are all sorts of people, aren't they, and I suppose if I knew more I'd find some I like and some I don't, just like everyone else. By Ann Leckie Children People Sorts Suppose Knew

I'm one of those people who always wanted to be a writer, so I have a fair amount of juvenilia, though fortunately, I was too old for my juvenilia to be on the Internet. By Ann Leckie Internet Juvenilia Writer Fortunately People

When one is the agent of order and civilisation in the universe, one doesn't stoop to negotiate. Especially with nonhumans. By Ann Leckie Universe Negotiate Agent Order Civilisation

To be Radchaai is to be civilised. By Ann Leckie Radchaai Civilised

In so much SF, either gender roles are the ones we're used to in the here and now, only transported to the future, or else they're supposedly different, but characters still are slotting into various stereotypes. By Ann Leckie Future Stereotypes Gender Roles Transported

I greatly fear', Citizen Fosyf said before I could answer, 'that the fleet captain's interests are musical rather than spiritual. She's only interested if there's singing By Ann Leckie Citizen Fosyf Fear Answer Spiritual

You don't need to know the odds. You need to know how to do the thing you're trying to do. And then you need to do it. By Ann Leckie Odds Thing

If there was anything any Radchaai considered essential for civilised life, it was tea. By Ann Leckie Radchaai Life Tea Considered Essential

It's always for show, Citizen. It is entirely possible to grieve with no outward sign. These things are meant to let others know about it. By Ann Leckie Citizen Show Sign Grieve Outward

I'd run straight into a bulkhead trying to walk and receive data at the same time ... By Ann Leckie Time Run Straight Bulkhead Walk

The tyrant had said our backgrounds were similar, and in some ways they were. By Ann Leckie Similar Tyrant Backgrounds

Not tea but blood! By Ann Leckie Blood Tea

The Internet really lets people connect that wouldn't have in the past, and lets conversations happen and connections happen. By Ann Leckie Internet Past Happen People Connect

We are all of us only human. We can only forgive so much. By Ann Leckie Human Forgive

You are so civilized. So polite. So brave coming here alone when you know no one here would dare to touch you. So easy to be all those things, when all the power is on your side. By Ann Leckie Civilized Polite Things Side Brave

If you're going to do something that crazy, save it for when it'll make a difference, Lieutenant Skaaiat had said, and I had agreed. I still agree.The problem is knowing when what you are about to do will make a difference. By Ann Leckie Lieutenant Difference Skaaiat Crazy Save

The 'indistinguishable from magic' thing is highly dependent on where a viewer is looking from and not something intrinsic to any particular sort of tech. By Ann Leckie Indistinguishable Magic Thing Tech Highly

The point is, there is no point. Choose your own! By Ann Leckie Point Choose

Or is anyone's identity a matter of fragments held together by convenient or useful narrative, that in ordinary circumstances never reveals itself as a fiction? Or is it really a fiction? By Ann Leckie Fiction Narrative Identity Matter Fragments

Security is here to protect citizens. You can't do that if you insist on seeing any of them as adversaries. By Ann Leckie Security Citizens Protect Adversaries Insist

I had learned to be wary whenever a priest suggested that her personal aims were, in fact, God's will. By Ann Leckie God Fact Learned Wary Priest

Things happen the way they happen because the world is the way it is. By Ann Leckie Things Happen World

I didn't get where I am by having reasonable goals By Ann Leckie Goals Reasonable

The 'science' in 'science fiction' isn't just physics and engineering. It can also be linguistics, anthropology, and psychology. By Ann Leckie Science Fiction Engineering Anthropology Physics

It was a proverb. Or half of one. Water will wear away stone, but it won't cook supper. Everything has its own strengths. By Ann Leckie Proverb Water Stone Supper Half

Fuck, you are an ancillary! By Ann Leckie Fuck Ancillary

Weren't many forms of large-scale protest realistically available to most citizens, but one of them was standing in line when you didn't actually need to. By Ann Leckie Citizens Forms Largescale Protest Realistically

Ifs and would-haves changed nothing. By Ann Leckie Ifs Wouldhaves Changed

I will share one of them with you now: most people don't want trouble, but frightened people are liable to do very dangerous things. By Ann Leckie Trouble Things People Share Frightened

In the end it's only ever been one step, and then the next. By Ann Leckie Step End

I didn't ever imagine, except in the most idle, obviously wish-fulfillment, ego-gratification fantasies, that anything I wrote would ever win awards, let alone so many. By Ann Leckie Imagine Idle Wishfulfillment Egogratification Fantasies

What would it be like to live 500 years? Healthy years, of course; no one wants to live 500 years in a coma on a respirator. But reasonably healthy all that time? That would be awesome! By Ann Leckie Live Years Healthy Respirator Time

I'm Breq, from the Gerentate. By Ann Leckie Breq Gerentate

It's the people without the money and the power, who desperately want to live, for those people small things aren't small at all. By Ann Leckie Power Live People Small Money

I've been a fan of Jack Vance since before I was in high school. By Ann Leckie Jack Vance School Fan High

Now, I personally enjoy a really good footnote. By Ann Leckie Footnote Personally Enjoy Good

Good necessitates evil. By Ann Leckie Good Evil Necessitates

You write alone, but you write hoping that there will be readers who will connect with what you write, and it's so wonderful and amazing - I can't even tell you - when that actually happens. By Ann Leckie Write Amazing Hoping Readers Connect

Ships have feelings. By Ann Leckie Ships Feelings

People often think they would have made the noblest choice, but when they find themselves actually in such a situation, they discover matters aren't quite so simple. By Ann Leckie People Choice Situation Simple Made

Children are all sorts of people, By Ann Leckie Children People Sorts

Virtues may be made to serve whatever end profits you. Still, they exist and will influence your actions. Your choices. By Ann Leckie Virtues Made Serve End Profits

The flower of justice is peace, By Ann Leckie Peace Flower Justice

Varden's suppurating cuticles," said Seivarden. "Lieutenant, By Ann Leckie Seivarden Lieutenant Varden Cuticles Suppurating

It's a common part of the narrative of the history of Christianity that it was 'real' religion that involved real spirituality and real faith, and that's why it's completely superseded the more pagan polytheistic practices. By Ann Leckie Christianity Real Religion Faith Practices

Sit up straight, Dlique. Don't dismember your sister, Dlique, it isn't nice. Internal organs belong inside your body, Dlique. By Ann Leckie Dlique Sit Straight Sister Nice

Have a beer instead. By Ann Leckie Beer

It's personal. It was just that with me personal affected a great many others. By Ann Leckie Personal Affected Great

Libraries are a tremendous and valuable resource, and I'm note sure it's possible to have too many of them. By Ann Leckie Libraries Resource Tremendous Valuable Note

If you can't access it, all the resources in the universe won't do you any good. By Ann Leckie Good Access Resources Universe

People are who they are, because oft the world they are living in.The world is as it is, because of the people living in it. By Ann Leckie People World Living Oft Inthe

It's so easy, isn't it, to decide the people you're fighting aren't really human. Or maybe you have to do it, to be able to kill them. By Ann Leckie Easy Human Decide People Fighting

If you're going to make a desperate, hopeless act of defiance you should make it a good one. By Ann Leckie Desperate Hopeless Make Act Defiance

Now that's something different! I'm not bored of buckets yet! By Ann Leckie Bored Buckets

Odd people, as I said, and I owe them a great deal, though they would be offended and distressed to think anyone owed them anything. By Ann Leckie Odd People Deal Owe Great

Let every act be just, and proper, and beneficial. By Ann Leckie Proper Beneficial Act

In that case," I said, "go fuck yourself." Which she could actually, literally do, in fact. By Ann Leckie Case Fuck Literally Fact

What, after all, was the point of civilisation if not the well-being of citizens? By Ann Leckie Citizens Point Civilisation Wellbeing

When I'm writing, I don't really have much other guide than, 'As a reader, how would I respond to this?' By Ann Leckie Writing Reader Guide Respond

People don't riot for no reason. And if you're finding you have to deal with the Ychana carefully now, it's because of how they've been treated in the past. By Ann Leckie People Reason Riot Ychana Past

But I had never noticed that anyone profited from needless spite, By Ann Leckie Spite Noticed Profited Needless

There are two parts to reacting aren't there? How you feel and what you do. And its the thing you do that is the important one. By Ann Leckie Parts Reacting Feel Thing Important

If anyone who speaks up to criticise something obviously evil is punished merely for speaking, civilisation will be in a bad way. By Ann Leckie Speaking Civilisation Speaks Criticise Evil

I knew and cared nothing about the will of the gods. I only knew that I would land where I myself had been cast, wherever that would be. By Ann Leckie Gods Knew Cared Cast Land