But there's one thing we must all be clear about: terrorism is not the pursuit of legitimate goals by some sort of illegitimate means. Whatever the murderers may be trying to achieve, creating a better world certainly isn't one of their goals. Instead they are out to murder innocent people.

What grows best in the heat: fantasy; unreason; lust.

When I am writing novels I don't read a lot of novels so I try to catch up in-between.

I've always prided myself on my discipline as a writer. I do it like a job. I get up in the morning and go to my desk.

Until you know who you are you can’t write.

At the height of the British Empire very few English novels were written that dealt with British power. It's extraordinary that at the moment in which England was the global superpower the subject of British power appeared not to interest most writers.

Language upon a silvered tongue affords enchantment enough.