Its was one of those events which at a crucial stage in one's development arrive to challenge and stretch one to the limit of one's ability and beyond, so that thereafter one has a new standard by which to judge oneself.

I cannot start a story or chapter without knowing how it ends. ... Of course, it rarely ends that way.

I want my words to survive translation.

It was like there was some parallel universe we all vanished off to where we had all this sex.

Perhaps there are those who are able to go about their lives unfettered by such concerns. But for those like us, our fate is to face the world as orphans, chasing through long years the shadows of vanished parents. There is nothing for it but to try and see through our missions to the end, as best we can, for until we do so, we will be permitted no calm.

The world is crawling with authors touring now. They're like performance artists.

It had never occurred to me that our lives, which had been so closely interwoven, could unravel with such speed.