I think we need politicians; we need people who want to serve.

In theory, I work an eight-hour day and a five-day week which means I can socialise with my pals who mostly have normal jobs like teaching and computer programming.

I think the future stopped looking American when you think back to Blade Runner and Neuromancer, when it started to look more Japanese.

I enjoy it too much - even if I knew I'd never get a book published, I would still write. I enjoy the experience of getting thoughts and ideas and plots and characters organised into this narrative framework.

I wouldn't like to be a character in one of my books!

The truth is not always useful, not always good. It’s like putting your faith in water. Yes, we need the rain, but too much can sweep you away in a flood and drown you. Like all great natural, elemental forces, the truth needs to be channeled, managed, controlled and intelligently, morally allocated.

Most mainstream male fiction is littered with heroines, and female characters are basically so great, you want to fall in love with them.