I decided that I would choose three powerful words, words of strong protection, and so long as these great words were never spoken aloud no change wo… - Shirley Jackson

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I decided that I would choose three powerful words, words of strong protection, and so long as these great words were never spoken aloud no change would come. I wrote the first word — melody — in the apricot jam on my toast with the handle of a spoon and then put the toast in my mouth and ate it very quickly. I was one-third safe.

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About Shirley Jackson

Shirley Hardie Jackson (December 14, 1916 – August 8, 1965) was an American writer known for her works of horror and mystery. Over her writing career, which spanned more than two decades, she composed six novels, two memoirs, and over 200 short stories.

Biography information from Wikiquote

Also Known As

Alternative Names: Shirley Hardie Jackson
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Shorter versions of this quote

Originators like Shirley Jackson:
Margaret Atwood Truman Capote Louise Erdrich Virginia Woolf Katherine Anne Porter

Additional quotes by Shirley Jackson

It is not proven that Elizabeth's person equilibrium was set off balance by the slant of the office floor, nor could it be proven that it was Elizabeth who pushed the building off its foundations, but it is undeniable that they began to slip at about the same time.
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