Often the magical elements in my books are standing in for elements of the real world, the small and magical-in-their-own-right sorts of things that we take for granted and no longer pay attention to, like the bonds of friendship that entwine our own lives with those of other people and places. – Charles de Lint

Rock n roll as a genre is different from pop and hip hop: it is about bands, and that for me suggests brotherhood, family, friendship and community. – Steven Van Zandt