I'm very eclectic in my music tastes - anything from Nina Simone to Beethoven to Talvin Singh.

I was always an outsider, always standing outside, observing and trying to figure things out. Which is exactly what you need to do as a writer, I suppose.

Writing is a deeply immersive experience. When the words are flying, the house could be burgled and I wouldn’t notice. I have a low boredom threshold and I like intensity – writing is a way of escaping the quotidian.

The thing about getting older is that you don't need everything to be possible any more, you just need things to be certain.

A new car is not going to change your life.

If the culture is so all pervasive that you can’t think outside of it, how are you making genuine choices?

I'm very eclectic in my music tastes - anything from Nina Simone to Beethoven to Talvin Singh.