Long before writing, people were telling each other stories and the audiobook goes all the way back to that tradition.

No one has the right to live without being shocked.

I've been surprised by how little criticism I've got. Harry Potter's been taking all the flak. I'm a great fan of J.K. Rowling, but the people - mainly from America's Bible Belt - who complain that Harry Potter promotes Satanism or witchcraft obviously haven't got enough in their lives. Meanwhile, I've been flying under the radar, saying things that are far more subversive than anything poor old Harry has said. My books are about killing God.

All stories teach, whether the storyteller intends them to or not. They teach the world we create. They teach the morality we live by. They teach it much more effectively than moral precepts and instructions.

We need to ensure that children are not forced to waste their time on barren rubbish.

When you live for many hundreds of years, you know that every opportunity will come again.

When it comes to telling children stories, they don’t need simple language. They need beautiful language.