She wishes her grandmother had not been so protective, and that she understood better what passes between a man and woman. As it is, she simply enjoys the feelings and wonders if they are what lightning is made of, for everything comes back to the weather. Tears like rain. Smiles like the sun. Hair as dry as sand and fear like the dark ocean.

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.

For a novelist, the gaps in a story are as intriguing as material that still exists.

Today women have the rights and equality our Victorian sisters could only dream of, and with those privileges comes the responsibility of standing up and being counted.

I find it inspiring to actively choose which traditions to celebrate and also come up with new ideas for traditions of my own.

If we don't value the people who inspire us (and money is one mark of that) then what kind of culture are we building?

History at its best is a gritty, dirty business.