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.

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.

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.

Writers need each other.

We can learn so much looking outside our core field of expertise.

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

Without archives many stories of real people would be lost, and along with those stories, vital clues that allow us to reflect and interpret our lives today.