At this stage I am not involved with young adults as closely as many other writers. My children are grown up and my grandchildren are still quite young.

It changes you for ever, but you are changing for ever anyway.

Writing for young children I find I often use particular jokes with words and exaggerated, funny events, but some of these haunt the more complex stories for older children too.

At the same time, I think books create a sort of network in the reader's mind, with one book reinforcing another. Some books form relationships. Other books stand in opposition. No two writers or readers have the same pattern of interaction.

At this stage I am not involved with young adults as closely as many other writers. My children are grown up and my grandchildren are still quite young.

There's a lot of things you can put up with, as long as you're not related to them.

For in some ways the world was like a shopping centre, and he himself was a doubtful customer, often ineffectual, being talked into buying things he didn't want, things indeed which nobody in their right mind would want to buy.