The new contract between writers and readers is one I'm prepared to sign up to. I've met some fascinating people at events and online. Down with the isolation of writers I say! And long live Twitter.

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

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.

A word out of place or an interesting choice of vocabulary can spawn a whole character.

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

People make interesting assumptions about the profession. The writer is a mysterious figure, wandering lonely as a cloud, fired by inspiration, or perhaps a cocktail or two.

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.