Copywriters, journalists, mainstream authors, ghostwriters, bloggers and advertising creatives have as much right to think of themselves as good writers as academics, poets, or literary novelists.

An Aunt is a safe haven for a child. Someone who will keep your secrets and is always on your side.

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.

I always thought that bagels and lox was my soul food, but it turns out it's sushi.

I jealously guard my research time and I love fully immersing myself in those dusty old books and papers. It's one of the most enjoyable parts of my job.

Writing about the 1950s has given me tremendous respect for my mother's generation.

Scotland just isn't terribly Tory.