Christmas is taken very seriously in this household. I believe in Father Christmas and there's no way I'd do anything to undermine that belief.

Better off dead than giving in; not taking what you want.

Every day is a gift with a child, no matter what problems you have.

Poets deal in writing about feelings and trying to find the language and images for intense feelings.

It's always good when women win things in fiction because it tends to be more male-dominated, unlike poetry, which is more equal

I grew up in a bookless house - my parents didn't read poetry, so if I hadn't had the chance to experience it at school I'd never have experienced it. But I loved English, and I was very lucky in that I had inspirational English teachers, Miss Scriven and Mr. Walker, and they liked us to learn poems by heart, which I found I loved doing.

Between 9am and 3pm is when I work most intensely