When I'm creating characters, I definitely think of theme songs. Writing for me is very visual, so I sometimes think of it in terms of a movie with a soundtrack, and try to transfer that to words.

Funnily enough, it is the subject one dreads talking about at length one ends up talking about at length, often without the slightest provocation.

I haven't always been a writer and I suppose I tiptoed around the idea of writing full time, because it's so isolating.

His characters are ravaged, beaten. They walk through infernos and emerged charred doves.

Such things as anguish, woe, affliction, guilt, feelings of awfulness, and utter wretchedness, the bread and butter of Days of Yore and Russians, sadly have very little staying power in these lickety-split Modern Times.

I was aware now, as ever, that between all people there were First Times You See Them and Last Times you See Them.

Occasionally when I'm procrastinating writing, I'll while away the hours on iTunes. You can just keep going forever and find these bands you'd never normally hear of.