The secret to true happiness is a combination of low expectations and insensitivity

Publishing is no longer simply a matter of picking worthy manuscripts and putting them on offer. It is now as important to market books properly, to work with the bookstore chains to get terms, co-op advertising, and the like. The difficulty is that publishers who can market are most often not the publishers with worthy lists.

As difficult as it is for a writer to find a publisher -admittedly a daunting task - it is twice as difficult for a publisher to sort through the chaff, select the wheat, and profitably publish a worthy list.

He who seeks for applause only from without has all his happiness in another's keeping

There were two ways to be happy: improve your reality, or lower your expectations

When you expect nothing and receive something, it's such a nice surprise. I'm not saying to be pessimistic. Just when it comes to other people, don't hinge your happiness to expectation and outcome. Don't make it tit for tat. Don't keep score. Don't expect or demand something back. Do the best you can. Work passionately towards your dreams. Be a good person. Liberate yourself from expectation so much that when something does happen: when someone does do something nice, you can be surprised. Celebrate in that joy. It makes it all the more fun when it comes unexpectedly! Expectations in relationships suck all the gratitude and appreciation out of everything. Beyond honesty, respect and basic decency nothing need be "expected". Let it occur naturally. Go with the flow. Whatever you end up with will be more honest and real.