I've never found it made the slightest difference being a woman - though there is a sort of feeling that as you get older you're not so interesting.

All writers are liars. They twist events to suit themselves. They make use of their own tragedies to make a better story... They are terrible people.

Life isn't so complicated for children. They have more time to think about the really important things. That's why I occasionally moralise in my children's books in a way I wouldn't dare when writing for adults.

Children often have a much stronger concept of morality than adults.

There are many times when I think I would have rather died with my husband. It would have been pleasanter, simpler. But it would have been worse for the children and the family in general.

People who don't read seem to me mysterious. I don't know how they think or learn about other people. Novels are a very important part of our education.

Margaret Thatcher was in my year, and our first-year college photograph shows us standing side by side in the back row. We were both grammar school girls on state scholarships.