I'm accustomed to reading Georgian and Victorian letters and sometimes you simply know in your gut that a blithe sentence is covering up a deeper emotion.

It is through our extended family that we first learn to compromise and come to an understanding that even if we don't always agree about things we can still love and look out for each other.

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

Something I notice speaking to writers from south of Hadrians Wall is that the culture is different. At base, I think Scotland values its creative industries differently from England.

I jealously guard my research time and I love fully immersing myself in those dusty old books and papers. It's one of the most enjoyable parts of my job.

The sky was a sparkling succession of black diamonds on black velvet made crystal clear by the blackout.

I believe the era of the militant lady is back.

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.

Research material can turn up anywhere - in a dusty old letter in an archive, a journal or some old photographs you find in a charity shop.

Writers of novels live in a strange world where what's made up is as important as what's real.

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.

At the very moment when people underestimate you is when you can make a breakthrough.

Replace the negative traits of your character by the traits you want to have

Once a decision was made I did not worry about it afterward.

sing the song and let people do the interpretation. It is your duty to sing the unsung songs and it is their duty to do the interpretation

We're not running out of [fixed] targets. Afghanistan is.

I love my music and recording people.

O heart! love is thy bane and thy antidote.

They all do the same things. They may think their sins are original, but for the most part they are petty and repetitive.

All you need is a bad angle and suddenly youre 30 pounds overweight.

A verbal promise behind closed doors, even a statement written on paper-these could easily evaporate . . . .