Writers need each other.

It is one of the benchmarks of a culture I always think – the page at which it operates. A good way to measure it is to order a taxi and see how irate local people get if it is late.

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

Sometimes I create a character from a scrap - a mere mention that has been left behind.

For me, writing stories set, well, wherever they're best set, is a form of cultural curiosity that is uniquely Scottish - we're famous for travelling in search of adventure.

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.

At the end of the day, that's what a family is - a group of different people who accept each other.