Mumbling obeisance to abhorrence of apartheid is like those lapsed believers who cross themselves when entering a church.

Can you imagine writers influencing things in America? Can you imagine a writer in England influencing? Absolutely not. And in France? It used to be, but no more - absolutely not. France used to, at least, have writers as diplomats, but not any more.

in writing, sex doesn't matter; it's the writing that matters.

I have failed at many things, but I have never been afraid.

In a country like South Africa, writers have nuisance value, because those of us who have become known overseas have certainly helped to inform people about what life is like there.

Once you have some sort of reputation in the outside world, they will try to woo you. They will say, "Won't you come and be on a talk program about books? That's not political." Then they can say to the outside world, "See how free it is, she appears on television. See how free it is." So I refused to have anything of mine read or dramatized on South African television.

Success sometimes may be defined as a disaster put on hold. Qualified. Has to be.