Writing is showbusiness for shy people. That's how I see it.

People spend thousands of dollars on stereos. Sometimes tens of thousands. There is a specialist industry right here in the States which builds stereo gear to a standard you wouldn't believe. Tubed amplifiers which cost more than a house. Speakers taller than me. Cables thicker than a garden hose. Some army guys had that stuff. I'd heard it on bases around the world. Wonderful. But they were wasting their money. Because the best stereo in the world is free. Inside your head. It sounds as good as you want it to. As loud as you want it to be.

LA has a fantastic car scene and because the climate is so gentle, cars can last forever.

For me the end of a book is just as exciting as it is for a reader.

I have three desks. One empty for paperwork, one for the internet and email, and one for the writing computer.

I felt alienated by the experience and decided to stay away from corporate employment.

I grew up in Birmingham, where they made useful things and made them well.