History at its best is a gritty, dirty business.

Historical fiction of course is particularly research-heavy. The details of everyday life are there to trip you up. Things that we take for granted, indeed, hardly think about, can lead to tremendous mistakes.

It may take a village to raise a baby, but hell! it takes an army to produce a book.

I've always had a keen sense of history. My father was an antiques dealer and he used to bring home boxes full of treasures, and each item always had a tale attached.

I find it inspiring to actively choose which traditions to celebrate and also come up with new ideas for traditions of my own.

Books have a vital place in our culture. They are the source of ideas, of stories that engage and stretch the imagination and most importantly, inspire.

Scotland consistently produces world-class writers.