Growing up in England, of course you do absorb certain ways the royals wave their hands and carry themselves. Like most girls, I fantasized about being some sort of a princess.

In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and - SNAP - the job's a game!

These days, people like me who are in the arts are perceived as celebrity writers. That really makes me angry because I expend a great deal of effort and spend an enormous amount of time on my books. And I've been writing now for 35 years.

So many things that you can ask children hopefully pique their interest and they can design and think for themselves. Having children draw and illustrate what they saw in their minds' eyes during the story is a tremendous teaching aid.

I have always wished I could learn to be a potter. I love collecting ceramics; it would be so fulfilling to create something lovely.

If you just literally stand still for a while, listen and think, things will eventually get sorted out.

Behaving like a princess is work. It's not just about looking beautiful or wearing a crown. It's more about how you are inside.