The writing talent of Edinburgh is textured - we have poets, novelists, non-fiction writers, dramatists and more.

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.

The whales do not sing because they have an answer, they sing because they have a song.

Just because a prediction is true, doesn't mean that it is not false.

If you don't smell good, then you don't look good.

The reason I dedicate myself to helping animals so much is because there are already so many people dedicated to hurting them.~♥~ EDS

I don't want to be unapproachable.

After darkness comes the light.

The measure of great men should always be measured by the means they have used to acquire it.

I expect you to work hard on our agenda.

Going out into life--that is dying. Christ is the door out of life.

Genius is infinite painstaking.