You cannot predict literary success; the only way you can possibly aim for it is to do your thing and do it well.

I think ultimately the film 'Room' is a kind of hymn to motherhood and to the everyday heroism of parents who find their smiles in terrible times.

I always wince a little bit when I send me to each of my new books. I wince at submitting myself to my father's judgment. But, of course, he's such a fond father that he always writes back, saying it's the greatest thing ever written.

There may be certain genres that men dominate, but fiction not so much. The question of prizes is tricky because there are so many prizes.

I'm really aware that in fiction, women are pretty much equal. There's a lot of very successful women novelists. Not so much [for women writers working] in film.

Stories are a different kind of true.

There's not a thing wrong with you, you're right the whole way through.