I like to create imaginary characters and events around a real historical situation. I want readers to feel: OK, this probably didn't happen, but it might have.

One of the hardest things for me, now that I'm famous, is finding people who can read my stuff and give me an honest critique.

you should first follow the plow if you want to dance the harvest jig.

World War II is the greatest drama in human history, the biggest war ever and a true battle of good and evil. I imagine writers will continue to get stories from it, and readers will continue to love them, for many more years.

Man who betrayed you once would betray you twice.

It was an odd relationship, but then she was an extraordinary woman: a prioress who doubted much of what the church taught; an acclaimed healer who rejected medicine as practised by physicians; and a nun who made enthusiastic love to her man whenever she could get away with it. If I wanted a normal relationship, Merthin told himself, I should have picked a normal girl.

Without books I would not have become a vivacious reader, and if you are not a reader you are not a writer.