He had never been interested in stories at any age, and had never quite understood the basic concept. He'd never read a work of fiction all the way through. He did remember, as a small boy, being really annoyed at the depiction of Hickory Dickory Dock in a rag book of nursery rhymes because the clock in the drawing was completely wrong for the period.

Seeing, contrary to popular wisdom, isn't believing. It's where belief stops, because it isn't needed any more.

Real children do not go hoppity skip unless they are on drugs.

Magic is just a way of saying 'I don't know.'

I'm glad a genre writer has got a knighthood, but stunned that it was me.

The English were notoriously unenthusiastic about burning witches. I suppose ours were too soggy.

Eight years involved with the nuclear industry have taught me that when nothing can possible go wrong and every avenue has been covered, then is the time to buy a house on the next continent.