I don't choose between my house phone and my mobile. I don't choose between my laptop and my notebook. And I don't intend to choose between my e-reader and my bookshelf.

A word out of place or an interesting choice of vocabulary can spawn a whole character.

Something I notice speaking to writers from south of Hadrians Wall is that the culture is different. At base, I think Scotland values its creative industries differently from England.

I'm not sure how much easier it is for a mother to balance her life now - have we simply swapped one set of restrictions for another?

The law don't like jazz clubs. No one wants anything to do with that kind of trouble.

Writers are a product of where we come from but by looking at alternatives to the culture in which we live, we can find ways to change and hopefully improve it.

I've found myself moved by letters and diaries in archives as well as trashy, summer blockbusters. It's possible to make a connection with any kind of writing - as long as the writing is good.