I think I am too interested in my own ideas to copy anyone else's, but I find that other people's imagery, the flow of language in the outside world, games with words, and ideas about relationships are all most important to me.

People can say what they like about the eternal verities, love and truth and so on, but nothing's as eternal as the dishes.

a man who builds a house never really dies.

In a way, the characters often do take over.

Perhaps every time anyone is praised it means that someone else somewhere is going to be ignored

When you are reading, someone has done a lot of work on your behalf, someone has had ideas and has then written and corrected and improved them so that they can be shared.

When I was a child I had a best friend who lived across the road from me. When her mother died unexpectedly it was like losing a member of my own family. I think I am still affected by the memory of that loss.