Genius is always allowed some leeway, once the hammer has been pried from its hands and the blood has been cleaned up.

Silence fell like a hammer made of feathers. It left holes in the shape of the sound of the sea.

It wasn't blood in general he couldn't stand the sight of, it was just his blood in particular that was so upsetting.

There was once a caustic comment from someone suggesting I was breeding a new race. Fans from different countries have married, amazing things like that. I've been to some of the weddings. I went to one here the other day, a pagan ceremony.

'Educational' refers to the process, not the object. Although, come to think of it, some of my teachers could easily have been replaced by a cheeseburger.

There have been some management issues with Amtrak, but I think they have cleaned up their act.