A writer of fiction lives in fear. Each new day demands new ideas and he can never be sure whether he is going to come up with them or not.

You ignorant little slug!" the Trunchbull bellowed. "You witless weed! You empty-headed hamster! You stupid glob of glue!

The snozberries taste like snozberries!

Fairy tales have always got to have something a bit scary for children - as long as you make them laugh as well.

The life of a writer is absolute hell compared to the life of a businessman.

The writer walks out of his workroom in a daze. He wants a drink. He needs it. It happens to be a fact that nearly every writer of fiction in the world drinks more whisky than is good for him. He does it to give himself faith hope and courage. A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom. He has no master except his own soul and that I am sure is why he does it.

Books shouldn't be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful.