History tends to change people who think they're changing it.

I'm referred to, I see, as 'the biggest banker in modern publishing'. Now there's a line that needed the celebrated Guardian proof-reading.

It's not worth doing something unless you were doing something that someone, somewere, would much rather you weren't doing.

They were also slightly less intelligent than he was. This is a quality you should always pray for in your would-be murderer.

People think that stories are shaped by people. In fact, it's the other way around.

One thing that writers have in common is that they are readers first. They have read lots and lots of stuff, because they're just infested with lots of stuff.

Many feel they are called to the priesthood, but what they really hear is an inner voice saying, 'It's indoor work with no heavy lifting, do you want to be a ploughman like your father?'