“You know, Dag and Claire smile a lot, as do many people I know. But I always wondered if there is something either mechanical or malignant to their smiles, for the way they keep their outer lips propped up seems a bit, not false, but protective. A minor realization hits me as I sit with the two of them. It is the realisation that the smiles that they wear in their daily lives are the same as the smiles worn by people who have been good-naturedly fleeced, but fleeced nonetheless, in public and on a New York sidewalk by card sharks, and who are unable because of social conventions to show their anger, who don't want to look like poor sports.”
―
Douglas Coupland,
Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture
“He's the anchor to my boat and I worry that I will float out to sea, directionless, without him.” ― Claire Douglas, The Sisters
“arsehole.” ― Claire Douglas, The Text: A short story
“wagon tucked under Noah’s arm. We passed the French doors that led to the patio, and a sudden chill crept up my spine as I took in the hulking blackbird that now sat on the exact spot on the lawn where I had seen Douglas Strong standing in the pouring rain. Was it a crow? A raven? I was no bird expert. It was spooky, and that’s all that mattered.” ― Nicole St. Claire, Spirits, Pies, and Alibis
“Could I go back and live at Mum and Dad’s at the age of twenty-six?” ― Claire Douglas, The Text: A short story
“drive through the village square, taking in the market cross, the pretty church, the corner shop, a café and the one boutique selling trinkets, cards and slouchy expensive clothes. All walkable from the cottage and in a dip, surrounded by the woods and the thick oak trees that stretch up to the sky.” ― Claire Douglas, The Couple at No. 9
“Get to the bloody point!’ She” ― Claire Douglas, Local Girl Missing
“Douglas Strong was a wealthy and successful man. But even though he’d hidden his tracks cleverly, there was no doubt in my mind that he had been skimming money from his own business, going back at least a year. Why? And could the reason have anything to do with his death?” ― Nicole St. Claire, Spirits, Pies, and Alibis
“You have to stop looking for someone else to save you. Only you can do that for yourself.” ― Claire Douglas, The Sisters
“Alan Ladd as Neale Jordan Veronica Lake as Ellen Hillman Mike Mazurki as Paul Fontana Elisha Cook Jr. as Ciro Ricci Gloria Graham as May Martell Frank Lovejoy as Randolph McGraw Hugh Beaumont as Charlie Gray Lloyd Nolan as Victor Haskell June Lockhart as Janet Haskell James Craig as Eddie Lomax Laird Cregar as Frank Perkins William Bendix as Art Barker Richard Denning as Jerry Markle James Gleason as Sam Menard Tom Drake as Roy Douglas Dick as Tommy Barrow Virginia Grey as Claire Allen Farley Granger as Andy Hillman Edward Ryan as Gerald” ― Bobby Underwood, Nightside
“...but I believe she loved me too, in her own, warped way.” ― Claire Douglas, Local Girl Missing
“You wanted him dead. And your wish is my command.” ― Claire Douglas, The Text: A short story
“November 1998 - They were singing. They were drunk. They were happy. That was what Olivia recalled most, afterwards. How happy her friends had been” ― Claire Douglas, The Girls Who Disappeared
“She knows he won't apologize for earlier. He never does. Instead, he'll moon around her, like he's the victim, until she's forced to say sorry or make it up to him in some way even though she's the wronged party” ― Claire Douglas, The Girls Who Disappeared
“Maybe it's been a gradual thing over the years, the gentle eroding of their love, like seawater over a pebble... She can't even pinpoint the exact moment it changed. But it seems the stronger she gets the weaker their relationship becomes” ― Claire Douglas, The Girls Who Disappeared
“Being with him is like slipping on her favourite fleecy dressing gown and she worries that if she takes it off, she'll be cold and naked and vulnerable” ― Claire Douglas, The Girls Who Disappeared
“Fear pierces her heart. She hates it when Wesley gets mad. Not that he's ever hurt her. He'd never do that. He doesn't even shout at her, not really. It's more the resigned disappointment followed by the silent treatment that he stretches out like an elastic band, getting tauter and tauter until she can bear it no more” ― Claire Douglas, The Girls Who Disappeared
“It's hard to know what has become folklore and what is reality. But don't all myths stem from some semblance of fact?” ― Claire Douglas, The Girls Who Disappeared
“Since the accident Olivia prefers the company of horses to people. Solid, dependable and comforting. They don't let you down, or judge you, or get angry with you, or manipulative. They don't answer back or hurl cruel words at you or trick you into doing something you aren't comfortable with. You know where you are with them.” ― Claire Douglas, The Girls Who Disappeared
“He's the anchor to my boat and I worry that I will float out to sea, directionless, without him.” ― Claire Douglas, The Sisters
“arsehole.” ― Claire Douglas, The Text: A short story
“wagon tucked under Noah’s arm. We passed the French doors that led to the patio, and a sudden chill crept up my spine as I took in the hulking blackbird that now sat on the exact spot on the lawn where I had seen Douglas Strong standing in the pouring rain. Was it a crow? A raven? I was no bird expert. It was spooky, and that’s all that mattered.” ― Nicole St. Claire, Spirits, Pies, and Alibis
“Could I go back and live at Mum and Dad’s at the age of twenty-six?” ― Claire Douglas, The Text: A short story
“drive through the village square, taking in the market cross, the pretty church, the corner shop, a café and the one boutique selling trinkets, cards and slouchy expensive clothes. All walkable from the cottage and in a dip, surrounded by the woods and the thick oak trees that stretch up to the sky.” ― Claire Douglas, The Couple at No. 9
“Get to the bloody point!’ She” ― Claire Douglas, Local Girl Missing
“Douglas Strong was a wealthy and successful man. But even though he’d hidden his tracks cleverly, there was no doubt in my mind that he had been skimming money from his own business, going back at least a year. Why? And could the reason have anything to do with his death?” ― Nicole St. Claire, Spirits, Pies, and Alibis
“You have to stop looking for someone else to save you. Only you can do that for yourself.” ― Claire Douglas, The Sisters
“Alan Ladd as Neale Jordan Veronica Lake as Ellen Hillman Mike Mazurki as Paul Fontana Elisha Cook Jr. as Ciro Ricci Gloria Graham as May Martell Frank Lovejoy as Randolph McGraw Hugh Beaumont as Charlie Gray Lloyd Nolan as Victor Haskell June Lockhart as Janet Haskell James Craig as Eddie Lomax Laird Cregar as Frank Perkins William Bendix as Art Barker Richard Denning as Jerry Markle James Gleason as Sam Menard Tom Drake as Roy Douglas Dick as Tommy Barrow Virginia Grey as Claire Allen Farley Granger as Andy Hillman Edward Ryan as Gerald” ― Bobby Underwood, Nightside
“...but I believe she loved me too, in her own, warped way.” ― Claire Douglas, Local Girl Missing
“You wanted him dead. And your wish is my command.” ― Claire Douglas, The Text: A short story
“November 1998 - They were singing. They were drunk. They were happy. That was what Olivia recalled most, afterwards. How happy her friends had been” ― Claire Douglas, The Girls Who Disappeared
“She knows he won't apologize for earlier. He never does. Instead, he'll moon around her, like he's the victim, until she's forced to say sorry or make it up to him in some way even though she's the wronged party” ― Claire Douglas, The Girls Who Disappeared
“Maybe it's been a gradual thing over the years, the gentle eroding of their love, like seawater over a pebble... She can't even pinpoint the exact moment it changed. But it seems the stronger she gets the weaker their relationship becomes” ― Claire Douglas, The Girls Who Disappeared
“Being with him is like slipping on her favourite fleecy dressing gown and she worries that if she takes it off, she'll be cold and naked and vulnerable” ― Claire Douglas, The Girls Who Disappeared
“Fear pierces her heart. She hates it when Wesley gets mad. Not that he's ever hurt her. He'd never do that. He doesn't even shout at her, not really. It's more the resigned disappointment followed by the silent treatment that he stretches out like an elastic band, getting tauter and tauter until she can bear it no more” ― Claire Douglas, The Girls Who Disappeared
“It's hard to know what has become folklore and what is reality. But don't all myths stem from some semblance of fact?” ― Claire Douglas, The Girls Who Disappeared
“Since the accident Olivia prefers the company of horses to people. Solid, dependable and comforting. They don't let you down, or judge you, or get angry with you, or manipulative. They don't answer back or hurl cruel words at you or trick you into doing something you aren't comfortable with. You know where you are with them.” ― Claire Douglas, The Girls Who Disappeared
