She reflects on a childhood marked by trauma, instability and family mental illness, and the lasting impact those experiences have had on her life.

Her imagination became a refuge during difficult years, shaping the stories and characters she would later create.

The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews coming from the BBC, including episodes with Google CEO Sundar Pichai and and author Sir Salman Rushdie.

You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presenter: Jamie Coomarasamy

Producer: Osman Iqbal and Nigel Doran

Editor: Damon Rose

Get in touch with us on email [email protected] and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.

(Image: Patricia Cornwell. Credit: Getty Images)