We all make terrible mistakes in our lives.

For me, the main inspiration to write a story or novel is the voice of its central character, or the narrative voice of the story itself.

We all make terrible mistakes in our lives.

I enjoy entering the viewpoint of characters who are as different from myself as I can get - children, elderly women, animals, a sexy death row murderess - and to imagine how these disparate individuals see the world's cruelty and beauty and vastness.

I am not especially good at remembering the actualities of the world I inhabit, but I have pretty strong associative memories of how it feels to live in that world, and to wonder at its weird machinations, at any age.

I've published several virtually invisible novels and several dozen even more invisible short stories over the years, all of which give me joy - unlike the cumulative experience of seeking publishers for them!

In terms of a "career," I never have long-term plans, and certainly don't want to spend several years, say, writing a "long" novel.