Books exist for me not as physical entities with pages and binding, but in the province of my mind.

The sky was a sparkling succession of black diamonds on black velvet made crystal clear by the blackout.

Aunts offer kids an opportunity to try out ideas that don't chime with their parents and they also demonstrate that people can get on, love each other and live together without necessarily being carbon copies.

Like most little girls, I found the lure of grown-up accessories astonishing - lipstick, perfume, hats and gloves. When I write female characters in my historical novels, getting these details right is vital.

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.

There is something particularly fascinating about seeing places you know in a piece of art - be that in a film, or a photograph or painting.

Change occurs slowly. Very often a legal change might take place but the cultural shift required to really accept its spirit lingers in the wings for decades.