What's the point, then, if we can't be happy? Why are we doing any of this?"

"Oh, there's definitely happiness," Jack said, turning his back on the ocean and looking at her. "But it's just about moments, not ever-afters." He grinned. "Like when you're right in the middle of the ocean with your friends, with no one trying to kill you in any kind of horrifying way. You have to appreciate these moments when they happen, 'cause obviously we don't get many of them."
― James Riley, The Half Upon a Time Trilogy: Half Upon a Time; Twice Upon a Time; Once Upon the End

"Jack turned red,"I kinda let a princess die."
His grandfather groaned. "You do realize that's not a good thing to do, right?" the old man asked.
"So I'm told."
― James Riley, The Half Upon a Time Trilogy: Half Upon a Time; Twice Upon a Time; Once Upon the End

"Whaaaaaat is going on?" May whispered out of the corner of her mouth.
"I'm sort of comforted by the fact that I can't figure it out," Jack responded."
― James Riley, Twice Upon a Time

"Listen, last time I talked to you three, you were all two oars short of having any oars, so I don't want to hear it."
― James Riley, Twice Upon a Time

"Oh, so close!" she said, her smile getting wider. "But close only counts in horseshoes and dragon fire."
― James Riley, Twice Upon a Time

"War breaks out between the colors blue and red, though green seems jealous that it wasn't involved. Yellow, meanwhile, hides in the corner."
― James Riley, Once Upon the End

"There are those two German brothers offering to pay gold for stories," the golden imp said. "And there's a human in France who is looking for the same thing. And one in Denmark."
― James Riley, Once Upon the End