I didn't choose Russia but Russia chose me. I had been fascinated from an early age by the culture, the language, the literature and the history to the place.

The human longing for story is so powerful, so primitive, that it seems like something not learned, but locked into our genes.

However, the difficulties and pleasures of the writing itself are similar for a novel with a historical setting and a novel with a contemporary setting, as far as I'm concerned.

We are creatures of story.

I can remember being in my pram: children stayed in their prams much longer then than they do now. A big bouncy pram with black covers and a hood with metal clips that could trap your fingers. I was looking up at my sister who was sitting on the pram seat, with her back to me.

Those who try to obliterate the past are injuring the present.

Reread, rewrite, reread, rewrite. If it still doesn’t work, throw it away.