The Roman Catholic Church and its rituals were so much part of life that, although my parents would often question a small matter of dogma and none of us seemed more religious than anyone else, no one ever questioned the rituals or the basic tenets of belief.

Three of my novels and a good number of my short stories are told from the point of view of men. I was brought up in a house of women.

If you have to read to cheer yourself up, read biographies of writers who went insane.

I suppose one should have an integrated personality, but I've never really seen the point.

“One Minus One’”and “Barcelona, 1975” are more or less autobiographical.

I work very deliberately, with a plan. But sometimes I come to a point that I planned as the end and it needs softening. Ending a novel is almost like putting a child to sleep - it can't be done abruptly.

As I settled down to sleep in that new bed in the dark city, I saw that it was too late now, too late for everything. I would not be given a second chance. In the hours when I woke, I have to tell you that this struck me almost with relief.