Those who have not been stung will hardly fear a bee the same as those who have.

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.

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

Very often the characters people respond to best have little parts of reality they can relate to.

My father could talk about the Romany way of life and its culture. He could talk about freedom and the Scottish spirit. But that was all he could talk about. I was desperate for someone to talk to but there was just nobody there.

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

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.