There was no honor in war, less in killing, and none in dying. But there was true dignity in how men comported themselves in battle. And there was always honor to be found in standing for a just cause and defending the defenseless.

What you call magic is nothing more than an act of the imagination fired by the senses, then given shape by the power of your aura.

Some writing courses will advise you to write what you know. I've always thought this is very odd advice ... because it means, for example, that I should not be writing about Nicholas Flamel, because I didn't live in France in the 15th Century, I was not an alchemyst, am not immortal (despite the rumours) and do not know magic.

At the heart of every legend there is a grain of truth.

Making sure that the geography and timelines work is always the hardest part of writing. But you owe it to the readers to get it right!

I published my first book in 1982 - a collection of Irish folklore called Irish Folk & Fairy Tales. It is still in print today. My first young adult book was published a couple of years later, and I've been writing in both genres ever since.

I am thrilled when I read about fans using my stories as springboards to read about either the historical characters or the myths and legends in the books.