Agents are essential, because publishers will not read unsolicited manuscripts.

I have considered rap music stars, and there is one in my new book, Lovers and Players, and there is also a hip-hop music mogul who I think you will like a lot.

The easier you make it look, the more difficult it is. Creating characters out of nothing, and making them interesting - and that's another advice I would give to writers.

I woke up last night and thought: 'I must call somebody in my next novel Casablanca.' It's such a great name. I don't want to call anybody Fred or Jane or Susan, so when three people get into bed together, you don't know who they are.

My weakness is wearing too much leopard print.

I'm a storyteller; I write what I want to read.

I write about real people in disguise. If anything, my characters are toned down-the truth is much more bizarre.