Do not place a photograph of your favourite author on your desk, especially if the author is one of the famous ones who committed suicide.

She'd tried her hand at most things, but drew the line at honesty.

I don't work to any commissions. I do what I want to do.

It's great meeting children because you never know what they will say.

I'm going to sound like an old man but at my age, it's lovely doing something that you've never done before.

I tend to plan as I write. And I want to leave myself open and the character open to keep on going until it seems to be the time to stop.

She's a pot-of-tea-before-I-say-boo-to-you woman. There's always a pile of warm teabags in the sink when I come down, like what a horse would leave behind.