I wrote every day between the ages of 12 and 20 when I stopped because I went to Barcelona, where life was too exciting to write.

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

When a book comes from the publisher and you see it for the first time... Of course it's not remotely like seeing a baby for the first time, but I can remember with each book what room I was in when I opened it. That would be excitement, though, I think. Not pride.

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

I never listen to music when I am writing. It would be impossible. I listen to Bach in the mornings, mostly choral music; also some Handel, mostly songs and arias; I like Schubert's and Beethoven's chamber music and Sibelius' symphonies; for opera, I listen to Mozart and in recent years Wagner.

in skies of deepening blue the moon, heaven's queen was now afloat

I wrote every day between the ages of 12 and 20 when I stopped because I went to Barcelona, where life was too exciting to write.