It was fantastic to work in Cornwall partly because my family live there so I was able to do lots of visiting and eat lots of cake. They live all over Cornwall and all over Devon.

I know what it's like to struggle for cash. When I went to drama school, I worked as a chambermaid to make ends meet.

I have turned away from the thought of writing fiction in the past through what I suppose is, actually, fear. The direct, raw invitation for the reader to come in and explore my imagination is fairly scary for me so I have busied myself with so much else.

I do think you are supposed to go through wars with your child because otherwise the tearing apart that has to happen when they go off to lead their own life would be unbearable.

It was my father who taught me to value myself.

When I wrote 'Dear Fatty,' I realised that sitting and writing alone is an absolute joy.

What was I thinking? Fact is I wasn't thinking. I didn't want to think. I wanted to feel.