What kind of man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter.

The thing is, 'Discworld' had been going on for a very long time, and I've written children's books as well. Usually when people have a really big series they franchise it, which I thought is a bit of a no-no, so I thought what I'd do is I'd franchise it to myself.

Sybil's female forebears had valiantly backed up their husbands as distant embassies were besieged, had given birth on a camel or in the shade of a stricken elephant, had handed around the little gold chocolates while trolls were trying to break into the compound, or had merely stayed at home and nursed such bits of husbands and sons as made it back from endless little wars. The result was a species of woman who, when duty called, turned into solid steel.

Genius is always allowed some leeway, once the hammer has been pried from its hands and the blood has been cleaned up.

The universe, they said, depended for its operation on the balance of four forces which they identified as charm, persuasion, uncertainty and bloody-mindedness.

Here's what I suggest," he said. "You pretend that rats can think, and I'll promise to pretend that humans can think, too.

Life doesn't happen in chapters - at least, not regular ones.