What is education but a conditioning of the mind to a society and a way of life. - Louis L'Amour

Characters have a way of taking on a life on their own, expressing themselves in the simple philosophy of their times, and expressing beliefs acquired through living, working, and being. Once characters are established, they become their own persons and the ideas of the characters are such ideas as they might have acquired in the circumstances of their daily existence.

Considering it, he realized that somehow he never worried about Miriam, and that was wrong. He did not worry about her because she seemed so self-sufficient, so strong. She was like their mother had been, only more so, much more so. But he felt it was wrong to think of a girl that way…It was wrong for any man to consider a girl self-sufficient, for men wanted to do something for a woman and when there was nothing they could do, there was no place for love.

Love was, he suspected, much a matter of service. One loved and was loved, as one needed and was needed. Or so it seemed to him.

A writer’s brain is like a magician’s hat. If you’re going to get anything out of it, you have to put something in it first