There must be more to life than having everything.

There must be more to life than having everything.

You cannot write for children They're much too complicated. You can only write books that are of interest to them.

'Hansel and Gretel' is one of the scariest stories ever written! Psychotic mother; stupid, inane father.

A book is a book is a book.

All I wanted was to be straight so my parents could be happy.

All I wanted was to be straight so my parents could be happy. They never, never, never knew.

As a kid, all I thought about was death.

As a kid, all I thought about was death. But you can't tell your parents that.

Certainly we want to protect our children from new and painful experiences that are beyond their emotional comprehension and that intensify anxiety; and to a point we can prevent premature exposure to such experiences.

Childhood is a tricky business. Usually, something goes wrong.

Do parents sit down and tell their kids everything? I don't know. I don't know.

Do parents sit down and tell their kids everything? I don't know. I don't know. I've convinced myself - I hope I'm right - that children despair of you if you don't tell them the truth.

Finding out that I was gay when I was older was a shock and a disappointment.

Girls are infinitely more complicated than boys and women more than men. And there's no doubt about that. We just don't like to think about it. Certainly the men don't like to think about it.

Grown-ups are afraid for children. It's not children who are afraid.

I adored Mickey Mouse when I was a child. He was the emblem of happiness and funniness.

I am not a religious person, nor do I have any regrets.

I became a set designer for opera.

I became a set designer for opera. I'm a great opera buff, I love classical music, and I needed a time-out.

I can't believe I've turned into a typical old man.

I can't believe I've turned into a typical old man. I can't believe it. I was young just minutes ago.

I did not know how to paint a mural. I did not know how to prepare the surface. There was nobody from the Renaissance around who could advise me, and I did the best I could.

I didn't have much confidence in myself... never.

I do not remember any proper children's books in my childhood. I was not exposed to them.

I don't believe in an afterlife but I still fully expect to see my brother again.

I don't have kids at all and I thank God that I never did.

I don't need faith.

I don't write for children. I write and someone says it's for children.

I feel extremely vulnerable.

I feel like I don't have a lot of time left.

I grew up in a house that was in a constant state of mourning.

I had a brother who was my savior, made my childhood bearable.

I hate people.

I hate those e-books. They can not be the future... they may well be... I will be dead.

I hate those e-books. They cannot be the future. They may well be.

I have a good life.

I have a little tiny Emily Dickinson so big that I carry in my pocket everywhere. And you just read three poems of Emily. She is so brave. She is so strong. She is such a sexy, passionate, little woman. I feel better.

I have this idiot name tag which says 'controversial.'

I have to accept my role. I will never kill myself like Vincent Van Gogh. Nor will I paint beautiful water lilies like Monet. I can't do that. I'm in the idiot role of being a kiddie book person.

I mean, being a child was being a child, was being a creature without power, without pocket money, without escape routes of any kind. So I didn't want to be a child.

I only have one subject. The question I am obsessed with is: How do children survive?

I refuse to lie to children.

I remember how much - when I was a small boy I was taken to see a version of 'Peter Pan.' I detested it. I mean, the sentimental idea that anybody would want to remain a boy.

I think people should be given a test much like driver's tests as to whether they're capable of being parents!

I think people should be given a test much like driver's tests as to whether they're capable of being parents! It's an art form. I talk a lot. And I think a lot. And I draw a lot. But never in a million years would I have been a parent. That's just work that's too hard.

I want to be alone and work until the day my heads hits the drawing table and I'm dead. Kaput. I feel very much like I want to be with my brother and sister again. They're nowhere. I know they're nowhere and they don't exist, but if nowhere means that's where they are, that's where I want to be.

I want to write something so simple, so short and so silly... and I want it to be for my brother.

I wanted to be acknowledged as an artist, not just some kiddie-book artist.