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

Writers of novels live in a strange world where what's made up is as important as what's real.

Often we don't notice the stringent rules to which our culture subjects us.

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.

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.

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.

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