I don't have goals when writing books, apart from getting to the end. I have rather vague ideas about how I want things to feel, I'm big on ambience. I have a title, a beginning and a probable ending and go from there.

Sylvia loved secrets and even if she didn't have any secrets she made sure that you thought she did. Amelia had no secrets, Amelia knew nothing. When she grew up she planned to know everything and to keep it all a secret.

She doesn't believe in dogs," Bridget said. "Dogs are hardly an article of faith," Sylvie said.

Sometimes,' Sylvie said, 'one can mistake gratitude for love.

Become such as you are, having learned what that is.

I did feel when my mother died if anyone was going to haunt me it would be her. And she hasn't, so I think it is possibly the end.

Alternate history fascinates me, as it fascinates all novelists, because 'What if?' is the big thing.