You Really Saw Some?" Liz Said An Hour Later. Sure, We Had The Stereo Blaring And The Shower Running, But Liz Still Whispered, "they Really...exist?" "liz," I Whispered Back, "they're Not Unicorns." "no," Bex Said Flatly, "they're Boys. And They're...good.

-Ally Carter

Please Wait....
Translating....

You Really Saw Some?"

Ally Carter

Topic

Running

Boys

Liz

More From Ally Carter

How Are We Doing, Simon?" She Whispered Into The Small Microphone In Her Collar. "just About..." Simon Started Slowly. And Then He Stopped. "wow." "what?" She Asked, Panic In Her Voice. "nothing," He Said Too Quickly. "what?" She Asked Again. "well...it's Just That...your Boobs Look Even Bigger On Tv." Kat Took That Opportunity To Turn And Glare At The Nearest Security Camera. In His Bathroom Stall Thirty Feet Away, Simon Nearly Fell Off The Toilet.

Opportunity

Voice

Feet

Why Do I Feel Like I Can't Trust You Anymore?' I Wanted Him To Lash Out. I Wanted Him To Fight, To Protest, To Argue- To Do Anything But Look Deeper Into My Eyes And Say, 'because The Gallagher Academy Doesn't Admit Fools

Eye

Fighting

Looks

Sometimes You Forgive People Simply Becuase You Still Want Them In Your Life.

Apology

People

Forgiving

I Sprung You Because I've Got A Message For You" "doesn't Your Family Own A Cell Phone Company?" "only A Little One

Phones

Cells

Littles

I've Thrown Enough Punches In My Life To Know When Someone Is Hurting.

Hurt

Enough

Thrown

Don't Believe Everything You Read. It's Very Difficult To Be Accepting Of Our Own Bodies. This Topic Deserves It's Own Book, But Since I'm Not Qualified To Write It, I Won't. Instead I'll Just Say This: The Pictures Staring Out At You From The Supermarket Checkout Stands, The Images We Are All Supposed To Aspire To? They Lie

Lying

Believe

Book

Turn," Liz Said, Trying Not To Hide Her Impatience At Being Forced To Read At Non-speed-of-light Pace.

Light

Trying

Liz

Kat Looked Down At Her Lemonade. 'do You Think He Betrayed The Love Of His Life...because Of Us?' 'she Used The Name Romani, Kat,' Was Gabrielle's Answer. 'and Besides...' She Let The Words Draw Out. Her Gaze Went To The Distance, And There Was A Sense Of Peace In The Way She Said, 'we're The Love Of His Life.' She Raised Her Glass Again. 'to Family.

Distance

Thinking

Glasses

The Older I Got, The Smarter My Teachers Became.

Teacher

Teachers Day

Smarter

Hale, Stop It.” Kat Reached Out And Grabbed His Arm. “you Are Many Things, But Stupid Isn't One Of Them.” “i'm Too Close.” “you Don't Get It, Do You? Being Close Is Good. Caring Is Good. I Love That You're Emotional And Passionate And Can't Turn These Things Off.” “it Makes Me A Bad Thief.” “it Makes You A Good Person.

Stupid

Caring

Emotional

When The Woman Took The Earbud, He Didn't Ask Another Question. She Was A Woman On A Mission As She Placed The Tiny Device In Her Ear And Said, "this Is Special Agent Abby Cameron. Let Me Talk To Macey Mchenry.

Special

Ears

Agents

Even The Best Thief In The World Can't Steal Time.

World

Thieves

Stealing

I'm The Guy Who Happened To Be Home The Night Kat Came To Steal A Monet."- Hale

Home

Night

Guy

Kat Picked Up A Folder Labeled Senior. "what Are These? Bank Records?" She Did A Double Take, Looking At Hale. "did Your Dad Really Pay Two Million Dollars To The Campaign To Elect Ross Perot?" "i..." Hale Said, Stumbling For Words And Thumbing Through Another File. "wow. I Guess My Cousin Charlotte Isn't Really My Cousin." "don't Worry," Kat Said. "it Looks Like There Might Be A Kid In Queens Who Is.

Senior

Cousin

Queens

Macey Couldn't Decide Whether To Be Intrigued That Hale Was Walking Around With A State-of-the-art Covert Communications Device Or Be Jealous Because She'd Been Caught Without One Of Her Own.

Art

Communication

Jealous

Do You Have Any Idea How Hard It Is To Tail An Eighty Year-old Woman Its Hard. Really Hard. Really...slow. -grabrielle

Years

Ideas

Tails

I Thought About How There Are Two Types Of Secrets: The Kind You Want To Keep In, And The Kind You Don't Dare To Let Out.

Two

Secret

Want

I'm Someone Who Doesn't Have Anything To Lose.

Loses

Okay, First Thing Tomorrow We Hit The Streets Around Taccone's Place. Somebody Saw Something.' 'i Got It Covered.' 'the Dimarcos Might Be In Town.' 'actually, They're In Jail.' 'all Seven Of Them?' Hale Shrugged. 'it Was An Interesting October.

Jail

Interesting

Might

Or Maybe Crying Is Like Everything Else We Do- It's Best If You Don't Get Caught.

Cry

Caught

Ifs

Excuse Me, Abigail, But Whose Shift Did She Get Away During?' Townsend Asked With A Glare. 'excuse Me, Townsend, But Who Was Supposed To Booby-trap The Doors?' 'i'm An Agent Of Her Majesty's Secret Service,' Townsend Said, Indignant. 'i Do Not Do Booby Traps.

Doors

Secret

Majesty

I For One Like Chaos. Chaos Looks Good On Me.

Looks

Chaos

Of Course. Because At The Gallagher Academy, "precautions" Usually Equals "voluntary Shock Therapy.

Shock Therapy

Precaution

Gallagher

Crouched On The Roof Between Bex And Liz, I Wasn't A Girl Who Had Just Broken Up With Her Boyfriend; I Looked At My Watch And Check My Gear Instead Of Crying. I Had A Mission Objective And Not A Broken Heart.

Girl

Heart

Broken

You Know,' I Whispered, 'some Girls Might Think It's Creepy Having A Boy Watch Them Sleep.' He Smirked And Pointed To Himself. 'spy.' 'oh.' I Nodded. 'right. So You're A Trained Peeping Tom.' 'product Of The Best Peeping Academies In The Country.' 'well, Now I Feel Much Better.' 'you Should.

Girl

Country

Sleep

Hey No One Makes Me Do Anything. Not My Family. Not Your Family...not Even You.

Hey

My Family

Mr. Solomon Was Right The Worst Kind Of Torture Is Watching Someone You Love Get Hurt.

Hurt

Someone You Love

Kind

You Still Don't Get It, Do You, Margaret?' Kat Smiled Almost Sadly. 'we Never Had To Steal The Antony. All We Had To Do Was Get It Next To The Cleopatra And Switch The Signs.

Stealing

Antony

There Are Aspectsof This Life-- Of This World-- From Which You Can Never Walk Away. Ever. The Fact That Almost Everything You Say To Almost Everyone You Love For The Rest Of Your Life Will Be A Lie Is One Of Them.

Lying

World

Rest Of Your Life

When His Phone Rang, He Had To Dig Through His Pocket To Find It, And His Fingers Brushed Against A Pair Of Tiny Earbuds He And Kat Had Last Used In Monte Carlo. Hale Smiled A Little, Realizing He Hadn’t Worn The Tux In Ages. It Was Just One Of Many Ways His Life Had Change In The Years Since A Girl Named Katarina Bishop Crawled Into His Window And Into His Life." — Double Crossed By Ally Carter

Girl

Phones

Years

I Wrapped My Arms Around My Knees And Stared Through The Window's Wavy Glass. The Red Velvet Curtains Were Drawn Around The Tiny Alcove, And I Was Enveloped By An Odd Sense Of Peace, Knowing That In Twenty Minutes, The Halls Were Going To Be Crowded; Music Was Going To Be Blaring; And I Was Going To Go From Being An Only Child To One Of A Hundred Sisters, So I Knew To Savor The Silence While It Lasted.

Children

Glasses

Knowing

Should Alcoholics Go To Liquor Stores?

Liquor Stores

Should

Alcoholics

Good-bye Dr. Steve,' I Said, Then Climbed The Stairs And Went To The Fifth Floor To Die.

Bye

Drs

Stairs

To Know A Piece Of Grass, You’ve Got To See The Ground That Grew It. Maybe That’s Why I Remember Every Detail Of That Night, Every Inch Of Ground We Covered, As I Followed Zach To The Place That Had Made Him, Seeing Them Both With Fresh Eyes.

Eye

Night

Details

Number Of Empty Ben & Jerry's Containers: 3 - Two Mint Chocolate Cookie, One Plain Vanilla. (who Buys Plain Vanilla Ice Cream From Ben & Jerry's, Anyway? Is There A Greater Waste?)

Ice Cream

Two

Numbers

Either We're A Team Or We Aren't. Either You Trust Me Or You Don't.

Teamwork

Teammate

Trust Me

Did You Say Something Macey?' I Asked, But She Cut Me A Look That Could Kill. She Reached Into Her Bag, Ripped Off A Sliver Of Evapopaper, And Scribbled: 'can We Study Tonight? (tell Anyone, And I'll Kill You In You Sleep!)

Sleep

Cutting

Bags

But The Heaviest Things, I Think, Are The Secrets. They Can Drown You If You Let Them.

Thinking

Secret

Ifs

What About A Princess Bride?" "where Are We Gonna Find A Six-fingered Man On Such Short Notice?

Princess

Men

Short Notice

Kat," Hale Groaned, Then Fell Back Onto The Pillows. "funny, I Didn't Hear A Doorbell." "i Let Myself In; Hope That's Okay." Hale Smiled. "or The Alarm." She Stepped Inside, Tossed A Pocket-size Bag Of Tools Onto The Bed. "you're Due For An Upgrade." Hale Propped Himself Against The Antique Headboard And Squinted Up At Her. "she Returns." He Crossed His Arms Across His Bare Chest. "you Know, I Could Be Naked In Here.

Alarms

Pockets

Naked

Pain Seared Through Me Again-a Hot, Burning Stab In My Gut-and Yet My Body Found Strength I Didn't Know I Had, Correcting As I Fell.

Pain

Hot

Burning

I Always Finish What I Start

You Were The Only One Who Looked At Me And Didn't See Her

And That's How The Peacock Saved The Chameleon

Chameleon

Peacock

Saved

Listen To Me." He Grabbed My Arms, Holding Me There. " I Couldn't Find You. And I Will Never Forgive Myself For That. Ever.

Girl

Forgiving

Arms

Because Death Is The Only Thing That Could Have Ever Kept Him From You.

I Needed To See You. And Touch You. And Just... Know

Romantic

Needed

Knows

Sometimes People Run… To See If You'll Come After Them

Running

People

Sometimes

I'm Fine I Said For The 2,467th Time This Semester. (i Know. I Was Keeping Count)

Said

Fine

Semester

You Switched The Days," I Said, Dismayed. "you Blew The Tire. You..." I Trailed Off, Probably Because The Next Words Out Of My Mouth Were Either Going To Be "you Are Enough To Do This?" Or "you're Destined For A Life Of Crime." It Was A Toss-up Either Way.

Mouths

Way

Toss

But In The End She Merely Shrugged, Knowing At The Very Least It Would Be Interesting. Knowing, In Her Gut, It Might Just Be The Beginning.

Knowing

Interesting

Would Be

Across The Room, Hale Smiled Slightly. 'we Can Draw You A Diagram If You Need It.' 'no Thanks,' Nick Said. 'i Think I've Got Everyone But You.

Thinking

Needs

Rooms

Tonight It Taco Night" -rachel (cam's Mom)

Mom

Night

Tonight

I'll Be Back. And When I Am,i Promise I'll Have Answers.

Promise

Answers

I Promise

We're Seniors." "i Know," I Said "so Aren't You... Curious?" "about What?" "about Life. Out There. Life!" She Said Again. "tell Me, Cameron Ann Morgan, What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?" We'd Reached Another Door, And I Stopped And Looked Up At The Camera That Monitored The Entrance, Just As I Whispered, "alive.

Senior

Growing Up

Doors

You Should Always Trust The Instincts Of Children.

Children

Instinct

Should

I'll Be Here When You Get Back.

So I Hear We Get To Go To Town This Weekend. Want To Catch A Movie Or Something? --z P.s. That Is, If Jimmy Doesn't Mind. Translation: This Weekend Might Be A Good Chance For Us To See Each Other Outside Our School In A Social Environment, Free Of Competetiton. I Do Not View Other Boys As Threats, And I Enjoy Making Them Seem Insignificant By Calling Them The Wrong Names. (translation By Macey Mchenry)

School

Weekend

Boys

The Kids Kept Walking, Moving Through The Henley's Halls Like A Tide, But When Kat Turned To Leave, She Walked In The Opposite Directions. She Wasn't An Ordinary Kid, After All. Katarina Bishop Followed No One.

Moving

Kids

Opposites

You Should Have Had The Decency To Die When You Needed To." “sorry,” I Admitted. “i’ve Been Going Through A Bit Of A Rebellious Streak. I Swear It’s Almost Over.

Sorry

Should Have

Almost Over

No One Would Have Ever Guessed That Seven Of The World's Most Talented Teenagers Were Coming To The Henley That Day For An Entirely Different Sort Of Lesson.

Teenager

Different

World

Ooh, The Silent Treatment.

Silent Treatment

Silent

Treatment

Is Joe Your Father, Zach?' I Don't Know Where The Question Came From, But It Was Out, And I Couldn't Take It Back Even If I'd Wanted To. 'no.' Zach Shook His Head. 'i Never Knew My Dad. I Don't Know Anything About Him.

Dad

Father

Wanted

Maybe Liz Was Right And She'd Wanted Someplace Safe. Maybe Mr. Solomon Really Did Understand That Running Was The Only Way Macey Would Find Out If We'd Run After Her. Or Maybe, Like Me, She Just Wanted To Disappear For A Little While

Running

Liz

Safe

That’s The Thing About Spies. Most Of The Secrets We Keep Are From Each Other.

Secret

Spy

Hale." Kat Sighed. "the Headmaster's Car? Really? That's Not To Cliched For You?" What Can I Say?" He Shrugged. "i'm An Old-fashioned Guy. Besides, It's A Classic For A Reason." He Leaned Against The Window. "it's Good To See You, Kat." Kat Didn't Know What To Say. It's Good To See You, Too? Thanks For Getting Me Kicked Out? Is It Possible You've Gotten Even Hotter? I Think I Might Have Missed You?

Thinking

Car

Guy

That's For Me To Know, And For You To Find Out.

Knows

Either We're A Team Or We Aren't. Either You Trust Me Or You Don't." Hale Took A Step Toward Her. "what's It Going To Be, Kat?" It Is An Occupational Hazard That Anyone Who Has Spent Her Life Learning How To Lie Eventually Becomes Bad At Telling The Truth; In That Moment Kat Didn't Have A Clue What To Say. I Carn't Do This With Out You Sounded Trite. What They Were Doing Was To Big For A Simple Please. Hale I-" You Know What? Never Mind. Either Way, I'm In Kat." He Seemed Utterly Resloved As He Slipped On His Sunglasses. "i'm All In

Team

Lying

Simple

Time, Ms. Mchenry," Townsend Said. "it Can Be A Cruel, Cruel Thing

Said

I Didn’t Know What Was More Disturbing—the Fact That Something Was Obviously Wrong, Or That Three Faculty Members Of The World’s Premiere Spy School Had Forgotten To Lock The Door.

School

Doors

Faculty Members

Your Test Had Cheese Meteor Questions?" - Bex To Liz.

Liz

Tests

Meteors

I Love Your Bracelet!’ I Said To The Brunette Next To Me, Because, While Most Girls Are Onto The Whole Stranger-with-candy Thing, The Strangers-with-compliments Strategy Is Still Remarkably Effective.

Girl

Compliment

Macey Was Just Starting To Argue When Abby Asked, "what Can You Tell Me About The Gunmen?" "they're Amateurs," Hale Said At The Exact Same Time Macey Told Her Teacher, "they're Pros.

Teacher

Abby

Arguing

Love Is The Biggest Con Of All

Love Is

All These Years I'd Thought Being A Spy Was Challenging. Turns Out, Being A Girl Is The Tricky Part.

Girl

Years

Challenges

Denying The Undeniable Just Makes You Sound Like A Fool As Well As A Liar.

Liars

Sound

Fool

You See, Greg, My Mother Is Going Through A Feline Phase. Blinky Is A Persian,' Hale Said Simply, As If That Should Explain Everything. 'binky Has A Nasty Habit Of Shedding All Over The Living Room Furniture, You See.' Gregory Wainwright Nodded As If He Understood Perfectly. 'and So We Had To Get New Living Room Furniture, Which, Unfortunately, Does Not Go With The Monet.' Kat Stood There For A Moment, Staring Into That Small Window Of The World Where Someone Would Tire Of A Monet Simply Because It Clashed With The Couch.

Mother

Doe

World

I Thought You Might Need A Ride.' 'the Headmaster's Office Called Me A Car.' He Shrugged, Indifferent But Amused. 'and Here I Am In A Submarine.

Here I Am

Office

Car

The Princess And The Pea?" Gabrielle Suggested. "not Enough Time," Kat Said "where's Waldo?" Gabrielle Went On. "no." Hamish Recoiled. "i Am Still Not Allowed Back In Morocco.

Princess

Enough Time

Morocco

It Seems You Don't Approve Of The Family Business Katerina. Or Of Me. But These Chances You Take... These Things You Do... This Is A Dangerous Life To Live... Alone.

Chance

Uncle Eddie

Dangerous

That Wasn't Your Mom In You—that Was Your Dad.

Mom

Dad

Your Mom

But I Wasn't The Girl I'd Been When I Left, And I Knew It.

Girl

Left

You Don't Need A Search Warrant To Go Through Someone's Trash. Seriously. Once It Hits The Curb It Is Totally Fair Game - You An Look It Up.

Games

Needs

Looks

Real Strength Is Not Hitting When What You Most Want To Do Is Kill.

Real

Hitting

Want

Gabrielle, Hale?" Kat Smacked His Shoulder. "it Wasn't Bad Enough That You Got Me Kicked Out Of School, But You Had To Use Her To Help You? Gabrielle!" "i Can Hear You," Her Cousin Sang Beside Her. Hale Looked At Gabrielle And Gestured At Kat. "she's Adorable When She's Jealous." Kat Kicked His Shin.

Cousin

Jealous

School

Oh, And Cammie," At The Sounds Of His Voice, I Spun Around, Expecting To Hear Him Crack A Joke Or Call Me Gallagher Girl. The Last Thing I Expected Was To Feel His Arms Sliding Arounds Me, To Sense The Whole World Turning Upside Down As Zach Dipped Me In The Middle Of The Foyer And Pressed His Lips To Mine. Then He Smiled That Smile I'd Come To Know. "i Always Finish What I Start.

Girl

Voice

Cracks

Nick Sat Beside Simon, Who Was At His Computer. Marcus Stood At Attention Beside The Food. Hale Had His Feet On The Table, Reading The Morning Paper. And Someone Had Given The Bagshaws A Gun. 'pull!' Hamish Yelled, And Angus Pulled A Cord And Sent A Skeet Flying Across The Deep Blue Water. A Split Second Later, A Loud Crack Was Reverberating Across The Deck. Kat Jumped. Hale Sighed. The Shot Went Far Wide, And Marcus Never Moved A Muscle.

Morning

Reading

Gun

Trust. We Stake Our Lives On It, But It's A Subject That Not Even The Gallagher Academy Can Teach. When Do You Let Your Guard Down? Who Do You Let In? And I Knew At That Moment, As I Sat Beside My Mother, Bathing In The Warm Spring Light, That Those Were The Questions A Good Spy Never Stops Asking

Mother

Spring

Light

Unusual Financial Activity: None, Unless You Count The Fact That Someone In The Family Is Way Too Into Civil War Biographies. (can This Be A Possible Indication Of Confederate Insurgents Still Living And Working In Virginia? Must Research Further.)

War

Virginia

Research

As Buckingham Talked, I Couldn't Help But Remember That There's A Reason They Call Us Gallagher Girls. It's Not Just Because The Youngest Of Us Are Twelve. It's Also Because Our Founder Was Under Twenty. From The Very Beginning We Have Been Discounted And Discredited, Underestimated And Undervalued. And, For The Most Part, We Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way.

Girl

Way

Twenties

A Gallagher Girl's Real Grades Don’t Come In Pass Or Fail—they're Measured In Life Or Death.

Girl

Real

Failing

There's A Power That Comes With Silence. I Had Grown To Fear The Unsaid Thing. So It Felt Like A Release To Say It-to Admit That The Risk Wasn't Just Inside Our Walls-it Was Inside My Skin. I Was Willing To Claw, Scratch, And Bleed Until I'd Found It.

Wall

Silence

Risk

You Know, It's Okay To Admit A Little Weakness Now And Then, Cammie. It Won't Kill You. In Fact, I Hear It Makes You Stronger.

Stronger

Weakness

Littles

She Pulled Away And Looked At Him. 'i Kissed You And You Left.' When Kat Heard The Pounding, She Thought It Was The Beating Of Her Heart. It Was Too Loud, She Thought. Hale Was Going To Hear It; He Was Going To See It; And He Was Going To Know How Much Power He Had To Hurt Her.

Hurt

Heart

Loud

What Kind Of Plan B?" Hale Asked. He Was Almost Holding His Breath When A Voice Answered, "my Kind." Macey Tried To Read The Look On His Face Then, But It Was Gone In A Flash. It Had Been A Simple Moment Of Peace And Joy And Pure Happiness. That Voice Made Hale Happy. It Kept Him Calm. It Was His Backup And His Conscience. Macey Couldn't Help Herself, She Envied Him.

Simple

Voice

Joy

You're The Gallagher Girl. Figure It Out."- Zach

Girl

Figures

Gallagher

I Know Too Well How Dangerous Hope Can Be, How It Grows And Sometimes Dies, Taking Its Host With It. It's More Powerful Than Anything Dr.fibs Keeps In His Labs, More Precious Than All The Secrets Inside Sublevel Two.

Powerful

Two

Secret

If You Don't Want To Be A Victim, Don't Act Like One.

Want

Victim

Ifs

Don’t Mind Me,” I Said. “i’m Just The Person Who Tried To Rob The Place Last July.” “no, You Diddn’t,” Abby Said, Appearing On The Roof. She Was Wearing A Trim Suit And Tall Black Boots. Her Hair Was Pulled Into A Sleek Ponytail At The Nape Of Her Neck, And Either I Was Imagining Things Or Townsend Wasn’t Quite As Good A Spy As I Thought, Because I Could Have Sworn I Saw Him Drool A Little. Note To Self: Your Aunt Is A Hottie.

Aunt

Hair

July

Someday You Will Know That The Heart Is Not Always As Wise As It Is Strong. - Uncle Eddie

Wise

Strong

Uncles

At The Core, I Try To Write Characters Who Are Real People With Real Insecurities, Fears, Hopes, And Dreams, Which Is Why Hopefully Readers Can Identify With Them.

Dream

Real

Writing

Note To Self: Rachel Morgan Is A Totally Awesome Liar.

Liars

Self

Notes

Hey Anyone Who Thinks A Non-military–grade Rappelling Cable Can Support The Weight Of Two Grown Men And A Miniature Donkey Deserves To Fall Off A Cliff.

Military

Fall

Men

It's Good To See You, Little One." He (uncle Eddie) Scanned Her Short Skirt. "i Only Wish I Were Not Seeing Quite So Much Of You.

Uncles

Wish

Littles

Thanks To You, Gabs, We Just Figured Out A Half Dozen Ways Not To Rob The Henley.

Half

Dozen

Way

For A Genius Thief You Really Are A Stupid Girl Aren't You?

Girl

Stupid

Thieves

Why Don’t I Know You?” “does Anyone Ever Really Know Someone Else?” “you Think Your Cute,” She Told Him. “you Think Your Gorgeous. But I’m The One Guy Here Who Knows Better.” “so I’m Not Gorgeous?” Macey Challenged. “of Course You Are,” He Started Away, Turned Back At The Last Minute. “but I’m The Guy Who Figured Out That’s Not All You Are." — Double Crossed By Ally Carter

Cute

Thinking

Guy

Sometimes It Takes An Outsider, Someone With Fresh Eyes To See The Truth.

Eye

Outsiders

Sometimes

Listen To Me, Cammie. There Are Things In This Life…in This World…there Are Things That You Don’t Want To Remember.” - Rachel Morgan

World

Want

Remember

It Is An Occupational Hazard That Anyone Who Has Spent Her Life Learning How To Lie Eventually Becomes Bad At Telling The Truth.

Truth

Lying

Hazards

His Hands Are Off," Gabrielle Pointed Out. "posture's Wrong," Kat Said. "he's Still ... Hot," Gabrielle Said, As If It Were The Greatest Insult In The World. "i Feel So Objectified. So ... Cheap," Hale Told Them.

Hands

Hot

World

Hamish Smiled And Rubbed His Hands Together. "sure We Can. What Do You Say? Pigs In A Blanket?" He Leaned Over The Cool Counter And Raised His Eyebrows At Gabrielle. "the Only Way I'll Get Under A Blanket With You Is If Both Of Us Are On Fire," She Told Him.

Hands

Eyebrows

Fire

Maggie Threw Her Head Back And Laughed. 'so You're Going To Try...what? Birds Of A Feather?' She Quested. 'of Course Not,' Kat Said. 'everyone Knows The French Government Banned The Importation Of Peacocks In 1987.

Government

Bird

Trying

I Know In The Spy Movies It Always Looks Really Cool When The Operative Goes From A Maid's Uniform To A Slinky, Sexy, Ballgown In The Amount Of Time It Takes An Elevator To Climb Three Floors. Well, I Don't Know How It Is For Tv Spies, But I Can Tell You That Even With Velcro, The Art Of The Quick Change Is One That Must Take A Lot Of Practice (not To Mention Better Lighting Than One Is Likely To Find In A Tunnel That Was Once Part Of The Underground Railroad).

Sexy

Art

Tunnels

...nothing Ever Happens Quickly (except When It Does). Nothing Is Ever, Ever Easy (except When It Is). And, Most Of All, Nothing Ever Goes Perfectly According To Plan (except In The Movies).

Doe

Easy

Plans

So You're Zach." Townsend Didn't Even Try To Hide The Judgement In His Voice As He Looked Zach Up And Down In Some Sort Of Silent But Dangerous Examination. Zach Huffed But Smiled. "so You're Townsend." The Two Of Them Stared For A Long Time, Wordless. It Felt Like I Was Watching A Documentary On The Nature Channel, Something About Alpha Males In The Wild.

Two

Voice

Long

We Wear A Lot Of Labels In Our Lives, And It's So Very Easy To Be Defined By Them. We Have Grown Somehow Accustomed To Thinking Of Ourselves As A Size Eight Or A Size Fourteen, As A Capricorn Or A Taurus, As Single Or In Love.

Thinking

Eight

Labels

Oh You’re Heist-drunk Kitty Kat. And You Have Been Since The Henley.

Drunk

Kitties

Heist

Even The Longest Con Was Never More Than An Assortment Of Moments That Were In Themselves Very Very Short.

Moments

I Saw The Gun. I Sensed The Van As It Rushed Forward, Seconds Away And Coming Faster. I Heard The Screams Of The Fight Behind Us. But Nothing That Night Was Louder Than The Masked Man's Astonished Whisper As He Looked At The Boy Who Stood Beside Me And Said, 'you?

Fighting

Gun

Boys

It Felt As If Maybe The Curse Had Lifted, The Tide Had Shifted, But Then The Breeze Picked Up And A Skeet Took A Very Unfortunate Turn. Seconds Later, Angus Was Pulling His Shot Far To The Right, Shooting A Large Hole In The Second-story Galley Not Ten Feet Above Marcus's Head.

Feet

Stories

Shooting

Basement?' Hamish Cried, Then Glanced At His Brother. 'you Hear This Fellow? He Thinks We Can Just Go On Down To The Furnace And Start Tinkering?' Angus Laughed. 'he Probably Wouldn't Care At All If The Whole Place Went Boom, He Wouldn't.' At This The Guard Bristled And Stood Up Even Straighter. 'now See Here---' 'no, You See, My Good Man. Out Here, See, We've Got Snow. So In There, I'd Bet, You've Got Heat. And Where There's Heat There's Gas; And Where There's Gas There's...' Angus Trailed Off While His Brother Said, 'boom.

Brother

Men

Thinking

We Don't Have To Do This. Just Say The Word And I Can Have A Jet Here In An Hour. We Can Go Anywhere

Hours

Jet

I Can

Like Many Authors, I Caught The Writing Bug During My Teenage Years. I Don't Remember The Exact Day Or Year, But I Remember That Reading S.e. Hinton's 'the Outsiders' Sparked My Interest In Writing.

Teenage

Reading

Writing

So Instead She Settled On, "did My Father Put You Up To This?" Hale Exhaled A Quick Laugh And Shook His Head. "he Hasn't Returned My Calls Since Barcelona." He Leaned Closer And Whispered, "i Think He Might Still Be Mad At Me." "yeah, Well, That Makes Two Of Us." "hey," Hale Snapped. "we All Agreed That That Monkey Seemed Perfectly Well Trained At The Time.

Father

Thinking

Two

There Are 6 Reasons That A Person Does Anything: Love, Faith, Greed, Boredom, Fear... Revenge.

Revenge

Boredom

Greed

Pretend And It Will Be True.

Being True

Cammie: I Never Knew There Were This Many Stars. Zach: I Can't See Them. I Just See You.

Stars

I Can

Covert Operations Report At Approximately 0900 Hours On Saturday, October 14, Operative Morgan Was Given A Stern Lecture By Agent Townsend, A Tracking Device By Agent Cameron, And A Very Scary Look From Operative Goode. (she Also Got A Tip That Her Bra Strap Was Showing From Operative Mchenry.) The Operative Then Undertook A Basic Reconnaissance Mission Inside A Potentially Hostile Location. (but It Wasn't As Hostile As Operative Baxter Was Going To Be If Everything Didn't Go According To Plan.)

Scary

Location

October

Learn Her Skills, Honor Her Sword, And Keep Her Secrets.

Skills

Secret

Honor

You're Late." Kat Said As Soon As Hale Put The Phone To His Ear. She Wasn't The Kind Of Girl To Wait For Hello. "what Can I Say? Macey Mchenry Has Been Throwing Herself At Me..." "see, That's The Kind Of Thing That Would Make Me Jealous If She Weren't Way Out Of Your League." "you Know, If I Had Feelings, That Might Have Hurt Them.

Girl

Hurt

Jealous

Do You Want To Hold It?' She Asked, Dangling The Padded Envelope In Front Of Hale With Two Fingers. 'no.' 'do You Want To Touch It And Kiss It And Wear It Around Your Neck?' 'don't Be Silly,' He Told Her. 'everyone Knows Green Isn't My Color.

Silly

Kissing

Color

"good For Him," Hale Said. And Then He Stopped. There Were Four Other People In The Room, But Hale Only Looked At Kat, And Something In His Gaze Burned Her, Froze Her, Made Her Want To Run.

Running

People

Four

The Things That Are Most Precious To Us Are Sometimes The Most Secret.

Secret

Sometimes

And Then, Despite Everything, I Smiled And Looked At The Note And Knew That Spring Would Come —it Always Does. So I Stared Out That Cold Window, Watching My Breath Collect On The Glass, Trying Not To Think About My Life After The Thaw.

Spring

Thinking

Glasses

Angus Looked At Hamish. "i Hate It When Mom And Dad Fight." Hamish Smoothed His Brother's Messy Hair. "me Too.

Mom

Brother

Dad

Every Head Turned To See Two More Security Guards Appear, Each Holding A Bagshaw By The Back Of The Neck (which Might Have Been Considerably Less Conspicuous Had The Bagshaws Not Been Dressed As Chimney Sweeps). Kat Turned Back To Hale. 'the Mary Poppins?' 'seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time.

Security Guards

Ideas

Two

Hale!' Kat Cried, But The Boy Only Stared At Her. 'fine,' She Conceded. 'i Love Your Boat.' 'ship.' 'ship ... Your Ship Is Beautiful.

Beautiful

Boys

Ships

But Then The Girl Moved, And Smiled, And Pulled Her Hand From The Grate- A Gorgeous Green Stone Clutched Tightly In Her Grasp. It Was Covered With Dust And Cobwebs, But It Was Uncracked And Unharmed. And, Of Course, Completely Fake.

Girl

Dust

Hands

Time, The Greatest Thief Of All.

Thieves

Heist Society

You Know, Ms. Morgan, That Was Your Mother You Just Hammered," Mr. Solomon Said.

Mother

Said

Solomon

What About Him?" "what's Going On With You Two?" "nothing," Kat Said, A Little Too Quickly. "yeah, And Why Is That Exactly? I Thought You Two Were Getting All Relationshipy. But Now You're Gone Half Of The Time And He's ...angry." "no, He's Not." "yes, He Is." Gabrielle Gave A Short Laugh. "he Doesn't Like You Going Off, Doing These Jobs On Your Own.

Jobs

Two

Laughing

But Hale Wasn't Just A Member Of Her Crew Who Had Messed Up. He Was Hale. Her Hale. And Kat Just Wanted Him Back.

Hale

Crew

Members

So The Quesiton Is," Bex Said Slowly,"how Far Are You Willing To Go?" I Looked At My Three Best Friends In The World. "how Far Is There?

Three

World

Said

I Think You’re Freaked About What Happened At Cambridge. I Think It Scared You." “i’ve Been Through Worse, Bex,” I Said, Joining Her On The Lower Stairs. “way Worse.” “oh, Not The Attack.” Bex Raised Her Finger In Contradiction. “what Happened Before The Attack. I Think You Saw The Future. Which Is Kind Of Freaky When - Two Months Ago - You Didn’t Think You Were Going To Have One.

Thinking

Two

Joining

So Far Kat Has Been Through All The Wa's She Could Think Of, But Hale Hadn't Admitted To Being Walter Or Ward Or Washington. He'd Firmly Denied Both Warren And Waverly. Watson Had Prompted Him To Do A Very Bad Sherlock Holmes Impersonation Throughout A Good Portion Of A Train Ride To Edinburgh, Scotland. And Wayne Seemed So Wrong She Hadn't Even Tried. Hale Was Hale. And Not Knowing What The W's Stood For Had Become A Constant Reminder To Kat That, In Life, There Are Some Things That Can Be Given But Never Stolen. Of Course, That Didn't Stop Her From Trying.

Thinking

Scotland

Knowing

Can I See You Outside For A Second?" Kat Glared At Hale, Then Walked To The Patio Doors And Out Onto The Veranda. As Hale Closed The Door Behind Him, Kat Heard Angus Say, "ooh, Mom And Dad Are Going To Fight Now.

Mom

Dad

Fighting

I Drink Caffeine" She Said Calmly "lot's Of It Gives You Pep

Giving

Drink

Said

Life Is Classified. There Is Always So Much That Goes Unsaid.

Life Is

Unsaid

Hello, Ladies," Joe Solomon Said, But Not Before I Snatched The Piece Of Paper And Crammed It In My Mouth, Which Ordinarily Would Have Been Really Great Spy Maneuvering Except That Josh Didn't Use Evapopaper. "how's The Lasagna?" Mr. Solomon Asked, And I Started To Say Something Before I Remembered That My Mouth Was...well...otherwise Engaged.

Spy

Use

Pieces

Now, Now, Hear Me Out," Hamish Went On. "we Don't Have To Kidnap Garrett. Not If We Kidnap The Buyer." "or Distract Him," Angus Added. "like The Bulgari Job," Hamish Said. "you Mean The Job That Landed Half The Dimarco Family In A South African Prison?" Kat Said. Angus Shrugged. "nobody Said It Was Perfect.

Jobs

Mean

Perfect

How Sweet Is That? I Know I'm No Boy Expert, But I Have Heard Entire Lectures On Reading Body Language, And I Have To Say That Assuming That A Person Will Have Forgotten Your Name Is Way High On My "indicators Of Humbleness" List (not That I Have One, But I Totally Have A Starting Point Now).

Sweet

Reading

Boys

Um…” Simon Started Slowly “at The Risk Of Stating The Obvious I Feel I Have To Point Out That Interpol Has The Worldʼs Best Database Of International Criminals.” “thatʼs The Idea ” Gabrielle Said With A Nod. “and I Feel Compelled To Remind You That Weʼre International Criminals ” He Finished But Kat Was Already Smiling. “donʼt Worry Simon. Itʼs Not Like Anyone In There Knows It Was A Bunch Of Teenagers Who Robbed The Henley.

Teenager

Ideas

Worry

Yes?' Joe Solomon Sounded Like Someone With Far Better Things To Do. 'is There Any Homework?' She Asked, And The Class Turned Instantly From Shocked To Irritated. (never Ask That Question In A Room Full Of Girls Who Are All Black Belts In Karate) 'yes,' Solomon Said, Holding The Door In The Universal Signal For Get Out. 'notice Things.

Girl

Doors

Class

The Bagshaws? They Didn't Know She Was A Nun!

Nun

Knows

Mariano The Second Had Been The Son Of A Fisherman, But He'd Suffered From An Unfortunate Tendency Toward Seasickness And Was Forced To Find A Respectable Career That Could Be Safely Conducted On Dry Land. So He Built Boats. Mariano The Third Built Bigger Boats. And By The Time A Girl From A Very Different Type Of Family Business Arrived At Their Shopfront On The Mediterranean Coast, Mariano The Fourth Had Built And Patented At Least Half A Dozen Of The Most Advanced (and Justifiably Expensive) Watercrafts In The World.

Girl

Son

Land

Quietly, Macey Went Through Her Options. Even Though The Masked Men Were Asking For Cell Phones, The Gunmen Were Making So Much Noise That She Was Sure Someone Had Already Called 911. The Obvious Exits Were Blocked, And The Elevators Had No Doubt Been Disabled. The Men Moved With Confidence And Order, But They Weren’t Trying To Be Quiet. There Was Nothing Covert At All About This Operation. Unlike The Boy Beside Her.

Boys

Men

Phones

And There's A Cop Over There." "what?" The Boy Said, Glancing At The D.c. Police Officer That Stood At The Corner Of The Street, "you Think That Guys Can Do A Better Job Protecting You Than I Can?" Actually, I Thought Liz Could Have Done A Better Job "protecting" Me Than He Could, But Instead I Said, "no, I Think If You Don't Leave Me Alone, I Can Scream And That Cop Will Arrest You." Somehow The Boy Seemed To Know It Was A Joke.

Jobs

Boys

Thinking

And Then Zach Said A Really Bad Word, But I Doubt Deedee Noticed Because It Was In Farsi

Doubt

Said

Bad Word

Two Days After My Dad's Funeral, My Mom Went On A Mission. I Never Understood It Until Then--that Sometimes A Spy Doesn't Need A Cover So Much As She Needs A Shield.

Broken Heart

Mom

Dad

For All The Days Of Our Lives," We Finished And I Felt A Little Like A Character In One Of My Grandma's Soap Operas.

Grandma

Character

Opera

Boys! Are They Always This Impossible? Do They Always Say Cryptic, Indecipherable Things? (note To Self: Work With Liz To Adapt Her Boy-to-english Translator Into A More Mobile Form—like Maybe A Watch Or Necklace.)

Boys

Self

Watches

Even Though Cammie Is Fluent In Fourteen Languages And Capable Of Killing A Man Seven Different Ways With Her Bare Hands, She Has No Idea What To Do When She Meets An Ordinary Boy Who Thinks She's An Ordinary Girl.

Girl

Boys

Men

Easy There," Zach Said When I Stumbled Into Him. "now's Probably Not The Time To Get Handsy. You Might Want To Control Yourself.

Want

Might

Easy

Don't Put Your Characters On A Treadmill. They Need To Go New Places, Face New Challenges And Do New Things.

Character

Challenges

Needs

Kat Looked At Hale. "i've Never Heard Marcus Talk This Much." "yeah," Hale Whispered. "i'm Trying To Decide If I Like It." Just Then, Marcus Took The Ruler And Struck Eddie In The Stomach. "hale Men Speak From The Diaphragm!" Hale Nodded. "i Definitely Like It.

Men

Trying

Speak

Because Sometimes Not Liking Someone Is Easier.

Liking Someone

Sometimes

Easier

"no," Preston Snapped. But He Didn't Protest Long Because, If I'm Going To Be Honest - Which Is Kind Of The Point Of These Reports - I Was Already Unzipping His Pants.

Long

Pants

Honest

You Are Back, Cam. Which Means For The First Time Since You Left, It's Okay For Us To Be Mad At You For Leaving. - Macey

Mean

Mad

Leaving

Kat Had Been Picking Things Up Since Her Third Birthday, When Hamish And Angus's Father Took Them All To The Circus Because He Needed To "borrow" An Elephant.

Father

Elephants

Circus

You Shouldn't Judge Someone Until You've Walk A Mile Through An Underground Tunnel In Her Uncomfortable Shoes

Tunnels

Shoes

Judging

Tell Me Cameron Ann Morgan, What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?... Alive

Growing Up

Want

Alive

I Tell You, I'm Half Tempted To Break Into Cia Custody Just So I Can Break Joe Solomon Out Of Cia Custody Just So I Can Break Joe Solomon.

Half

Custody

Break

Teenage Girls Read In Packs. It's True Today, And It Was True When I Was A Teen Growing Up In A Small Town In Northeast Oklahoma.

Girl

Growing Up

Teenage

I’m Sorry If I’m Not Flirting With You. I’m Kind Of Spoken For.

Sorry

Flirting

Kind

If You Can Be Still Enough And Common Enough, Then It's Really Easy To Be Invisible.

Common

Invisible

Easy

Oh.' I Shot Upright. 'i Was In Mongolia.' Note To Self: Learn To Be A Less Extreme Liar.

Liars

Self

Notes

When Zach Said, "im Going To Kill Dr. Steve." It Wasn't The Angered Threat Of A Worried Boy; It Was The Calm, Cool Statement Of An Operative Trained To Do Exactly That. And That, I Think, Is Why It Scared Me. But It Wasn't As Terrifying As The Look In Bex's Eyes When She Said, "not If I Find Him First.

Eye

Boys

Thinking

Hey I Bruise," Hale Said. "also, You Are Freakishly Strong.

Strong

Hey

Bruises

That's A Lovely Piece," Kat Said, Pointing At A Louise Xv Armoire Near The Fireplace. The Man Raised His Eyebrows. "did You Come To Steal It?" "darn It," Kat Said With A Snap Of Her Fingers."i Knew I Should Have Brought My Big Purse.

Men

Should Have

Eyebrows

I Didn't Know There Were This Many Math Guys," Hale Said As They Stepped Onto The Crowded Concourse. Kat Cleared Her Throat. "and Women," He Added. "math Women.

Math

Guy

Hale

"we're Going To Be Okay." Here's The Thing About Being A Spy: Sometimes All You Have Are Your Lies. They Protect Your Cover And Keep Your Secrets, And Right Then I Needed To Believe That It Was True Even When All The Facts Said Otherwise.

Lying

Believe

Secret

And Zach Was Taking His Jacket Off And Draping It Around My Shoulders, Which (according To Liz, Who Double Checked With Macey) Is The Single-sexiest Thing A Guy Can Do.

Guy

Liz

Shoulders

How'd You Get In Here?" She Raised Her Eyebrows. “you Pick Pockets.” Kat Watched His Hand Fly To His Back Pocket. “i Can Pick Locks. Looking For This?” She Asked, Holding Up His Wallet. “oops. Maybe I Can Pick Pockets Too.

Hands

Eyebrows

Pockets

He Was Beside Me Then, His Arms Wrapped Around Me, Holding Me Tightly. "i'm Not Crazy," I Whispered. "i Know." Believe It Or Not, That's The Most Romantic Thing Zachary Goode Ever Told Me. And I Kind Of Loved Him For It.

Crazy

Believe

Arms

She Didn't Protest As Hale Slid His Arm Around Her And Pulled Her To Rest Against His Chest. It Was Somehow Softer There Than She Remembered.

Arms

Hale

Protest

You Should Stop And Listen To Yourselves Sometimes. 'we're Practically Adults, Let Us Run Wild.' 'we're Only Kids, Leave Us Alone.'...you Can't Have It Both Ways.

Running

Kids

Adults

You Were Right, Hale. It Was A Bad Job. It Was A Bad Call. You Were Right To Leave." "kat..." Hale Tried To Reach For Her, But Even In The Sand, Kat Was Quick And Sure On Her Feet, And She Moved Nimbly Away, Leaving Hale With Nothing But A Fistful Of Salty Air. "thanks For Coming Back And Helping Me Find Her And All, But..." She Looked At Gabrielle, Who Stood Leaning Against Simon, Still Bruised And Almost Broken. " I Think I've Got To Take It From Here.".... She Was Sure Right Up Until The Point When Hale Said, "no.

Jobs

Thinking

Air

Of Course, The Downside Of Attending A Fictional School Is That Our Lacrosse Team Sucks.

Team

School

Lacrosse

So, Your Dad's Hot." "thanks. He Was That Way When I Met Him, So I Can't Really Take Credit.

Dad

Hot

Credit

It Is A Little-known Fact About Covert Operations That You Will Spend A Lot Of Time With People You Can’t Really Trust. They May Be Traitors And Liars. We Call Them Assets Or Informants. But Mostly, In Those Days, I Called Him Zach.

Liars

People

May

Give Me Everything You Have," I Told [preston]. "really, Cammie. I Never Knew You Thought Of Me That Way.

Giving

Way

Give Me

She Looked At Him And Shook Her Head, Smiled A Litle As She Told Him, "you Are So Like Your Father." Then She Looked Past Me And Zach, Past Bex And Abby, To Where Agent Townsend Sttod By The Door With His Arms Crossed. "what Do You Think, Townsend, Darling? Isn't He Just Like You?" She Looked At Zach Again. "i Think He's Just Like You." And Then She Closed Her Eyes And Drifted Off To Sleep.

Father

Sleep

Eye

Because Even Though The Truth Can Set You Free, That Doesn't Mean It Won't Be Painful.

Mean

Painful

Do You Know What Pain Is, Cammie? It’s The Body’s Physical Response To Imminent Harm. It Is The Mind’s Way Of Telling Us To Move Our Hand Off The Stove Or Let Go Of The Broken Glass.

Letting Go

Pain

Moving

Excuse Me, But Aren't Boys Forbidden On This Floor?' Macey Said On Our Way To The Suite. 'that's The Advantage Of Being The Only Boy,' He (zach) Said. 'no One Actually Comes Right Out And Makes Rules Like That.

Boys

Way

Excuse

The Older Generation Sat Looking At The Younger, And Kat Wondered Exactly When And How The Baton Had Been Passed. She Wanted To Know If It Was Too Late To Give It Back.

Giving

Generations

Too Late

Sleep Every Chance You Get. Eat Every Chance You Get. Those Were Two Of The Many Lessons That Kat Learned At Her Father’s Knee And Her Uncle’s Table.

Uncles

Father

Sleep

Maybe Wrist Corsages Cut Off Circulation To The Brain? I Mean, Is That Why So Many Girls Do Stupid Things On Prom Night? I Was Really Going To Have To Investigate This Further, I Decided

Girl

Stupid

Mean

Understanding Quotes: Their Essence and Application

Quotes, or quotations, are powerful tools in communication, encapsulating ideas, emotions, and wisdom in concise expressions. They serve various purposes across different contexts, from academic writing to everyday conversation.

1. Defining Quotes

A quote is a repetition of someone else's statement or thoughts. It can be a direct replication of words spoken or written by another individual, often used to support arguments, provide evidence, or convey profound insights.

2. The Importance of Quotes

2.1. Enhancing Credibility

Incorporating quotes from authoritative sources can bolster the credibility of your work. By referencing experts or primary sources, you demonstrate thorough research and a solid foundation for your arguments.

2.2. Providing Evidence

Quotes serve as concrete evidence to support claims. In academic and professional writing, they validate points made, offering readers a basis to trust the information presented.

2.3. Conveying Emotions and Perspectives

Quotes can encapsulate emotions and perspectives succinctly. They allow writers to express complex feelings or viewpoints through the words of others, often more eloquently than paraphrasing.

3. Types of Quotes

3.1. Direct Quotes

Direct quotes involve copying the exact words from a source, enclosed in quotation marks. They are used when the original wording is significant or particularly well-expressed.

3.2. Indirect Quotes (Paraphrasing)

Indirect quotes restate the original message in your own words. While not enclosed in quotation marks, they still require proper attribution to the original source.

3.3. Block Quotes

Block quotes are lengthy direct quotations, formatted as a separate block of text. They are typically used for quotes exceeding a certain length, varying by citation style. For instance, in APA style, quotes longer than 40 words are formatted as block quotes.

4. Proper Usage of Quotes

4.1. Contextual Relevance

Ensure that the quote you choose is relevant to the topic and adds value to your content. Avoid inserting quotes solely for decorative purposes.

4.2. Integration into Your Writing

Seamlessly integrate quotes into your writing. Introduce them appropriately and follow up with analysis or commentary to connect them to your main points.

4.3. Attribution and Citation

Always attribute quotes to their original authors and provide proper citations according to the required style guide (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).

5. Common Mistakes to Avoid

5.1. Overusing Quotes

Relying too heavily on quotes can overshadow your voice. Use them sparingly to support your arguments, not replace them.

5.2. Lack of Analysis

Presenting a quote without analysis or explanation can leave readers questioning its relevance. Always follow up with your interpretation or discussion.

5.3. Misquoting or Taking Out of Context

Ensure that quotes are accurate and not taken out of context, as this can mislead readers and undermine your credibility.

6. Quotes in Different Contexts

6.1. Academic Writing

In academic writing, quotes are used to support arguments, provide evidence, and engage with existing literature. Proper citation is crucial to avoid plagiarism.

6.2. Journalism

Journalists use quotes to provide firsthand accounts, add authenticity, and present multiple perspectives within a story.

6.3. Literature and Creative Writing

In literature, quotes can be used to convey character voices, themes, and stylistic elements. They enrich narratives and provide depth to storytelling.

7. Punctuation and Formatting

Understanding the correct punctuation and formatting of quotes is essential:

Quotation Marks: Always enclose direct quotes within quotation marks.

Punctuation Placement: In American English, periods and commas are placed inside quotation marks, while colons and semicolons are placed outside.

Block Quotes: For longer quotes, format them as block quotes without quotation marks, and indent the entire block.

8. Ethical Considerations

Ethical use of quotes involves accurate representation, proper attribution, and respect for intellectual property. Misuse can lead to plagiarism, which carries serious academic and professional consequences.

9. Tools for Managing Quotes

Utilize tools like citation generators and plagiarism checkers to manage quotes effectively. These tools help ensure proper formatting and originality in your writing.

Conclusion

Quotes are invaluable in enriching content, providing evidence, and conveying complex ideas succinctly. When used appropriately, they enhance the quality and credibility of your writing. Always ensure relevance, proper integration, and ethical usage to maximize their impact.

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