I've often said that there's no such thing as writer's block, the problem is idea block

In general, I think, less is more, and that if a reader stops reading because a book is too icky then I've failed in my obligation to the readers.

Sometimes you can't be what you ought to be, you can't have what you ought to have.

I like the way words go together and I like the gamesmanship of writing poetry. It is such a challenge.

Generally my typical books have lots of twists and turns a big surprise ending and then usually another surprise at the end and ideally, as in Garden of Beasts, we get to the very end and we find at the last few pages that there's yet another surprise.

When it comes time to write the book itself I'll shut the lights out, picture the scene I'm about to write then close my eyes and go at it. Yes, I can touch type.

And life changes. Maybe just a little, maybe a lot. And at some point, it just isn't worth the fight to fix it.