War and Peace maddens me because I didn't write it myself, and worse, I couldn't.

Some people standby you in your darkest hour while others walk away; only a select few march towards you and become even closer friends.

I have discovered with advancing years that few things are entirely black or white, but more often different shades of grey.

I feel I have had a very interesting life, but I am rather hoping there is still more to come. I still haven't captained the England cricket team, or sung at Carnegie Hall!

If you make a deal with a fool, don't be surprised when they act foolishly.

Time spent on preparation is seldom wasted.

Making a million legally has always been difficult. Making a million illegally has always been a little easier. Keeping a million when you have made it is perhaps the most difficult of all.

What I have found is that real friends stand by you.

While there may not be a book in every one of us, there is so often a damned good short story.

we all suffer in our different ways from being prisoners of birth.

I put £150,000 into the stage production of Grease and have got back £1.5 million so far. It has been a fantastic success.

Reminded that the Commonwealth was already involved in pre-school and university education, Chifley replied: “That’s different – they’re for kids before they’ve got souls and after they’ve lost them.

Only the Saviour saves souls.

All dark and comfortless.

It is only mercenaries who expect to be paid by the day.

Modification of form is admitted to be a matter of time

It's usually quite easy to shrug and write something else instead.

Until 45 I can play a woman in love. After 55 I can play grandmothers. But between those ten years, it is difficult for an actress.

I think they thought it was very arrogant of me to write the end of my seven books series when I didn't have a publisher and no-one had heard of me

I think every woman character, every female character, has her own arc.

Every change is a form of liberation. My mother used to say a change is always good even if it's for the worse.