'Fiction suggests rather than dictates, it alludes rather than presents; building deep wells layer by layer.'

Fiction suggests rather than dictates, it alludes rather than presents; building deep wells layer by layer where what's not written is as important as what's actually written.

'There are poets I love but will hesitate to read if I am in the middle of writing a poem because I know their style is infectious. '

There are poets I love but will hesitate to read if I am in the middle of writing a poem because I know their style is infectious; Ted Hughes for instance, or Seamus Heaney. There's something Heaney-esque in every male poet of a certain age.

'Written in the broken English of a black girl in the American South of the early twentieth century, it spoke to me like nothing I had ever read.'

The novel was written in a language deeply unfamiliar to me, the broken English of a black girl in the American South of the early twentieth century, and it spoke to me like nothing I had ever read.

'I constantly read history books and watch documentaries and films, visit museums and locations. All these activities give me ideas.'

If you write historical fiction as I do you need to keep your antennae twitching for a good idea that hasn't been done before. I constantly read history books and watch documentaries and films, visit museums and locations. All these activities give me ideas.

'Without the invitation I would never have brought these disparate experiences together, never compared the perspectives on writing and gardens they offered. '

Without the invitation I would never have brought these disparate experiences together, never compared the perspectives on writing and gardens they offered, never combined autobiography and architectural comment. What luck! What a pleasure.

'Through Amado I sensed society could be more forgiving than life in Surrey. Tent of Miracles was my self-help book. '

Through Amado I sensed society could be more forgiving than life in Surrey. Tent of Miracles was my self-help book not something from the Mind and Body section. Armado's women are strong, and he loves them.

'I think I would rather read the Shades of Grey trilogy that re-read one of my novels. Wait a minute, is that true? Yes, yes it is.'

I think I would rather read the Shades of Grey trilogy that re-read one of my novels. Wait a minute, is that true? Yes, yes it is.

'Perhaps you were never young? Perhaps you came into existence fully fledged as a know all? '

But perhaps you were never young? Perhaps you came into existence fully fledged as a know all? Remember the blackboard in the basement of our home and the shriek of the chalk?

'For the first forty-four years of my life I've always felt in some way or other, myself, wrong. '

For the first forty-four years of my life I've always felt in some way or other, myself, wrong. Wrong inside this body. Wrong inside my head. Not a strong wrongness, but a slight vague feeling.

'Over the years I've developed a system of book mutilation, mastication and digestion all of my own. '

The reason I'm a nasty Bogtrotter of a reader is not because of my appetite, but because of the disgusting way I treat my review books. Over the years I've developed a system of book mutilation, mastication and digestion all of my own.