'Lectio interruptus. Unfinished reading. That, regrettably, is what my reading habits today consist of; procrastination, and some disorganisation.'

Lectio interruptus. Unfinished reading. That, regrettably, is what my reading habits today consist of; procrastination, and — strictly in the books department — some disorganisation. Of course, I do occasionally knuckle down.

'Knowledge of life in these cities — that I could never have acquired without inhabiting them — surfaced in my fiction. Each gave me subjects. '

Knowledge of life in these cities — that I could never have acquired without inhabiting them — surfaced in my fiction. Each gave me subjects for my work. Sometimes though, I have to leave a city in order to write about it.

'On the hour-long car ride to the hotel, I kept seeing banners bearing my face. I wondered if lack of sleep on the overnight flight was making me hallucinate. '

On the hour-long car ride to the hotel, I kept seeing banners bearing my face. The first time I caught sight of one, I wondered if lack of sleep on the overnight flight was making me hallucinate. But, no, there I was again.

'Cambridgeshire, or what I still think of as 'Huntingdonshire', has become the perfect place for me to write in.'

We came home and settled in Cambridgeshire, or what I still think of as 'Huntingdonshire'. In fact, this largely imaginary shire has become the perfect place for me to write in.

'As far as I can tell, I'm the incredibly lucky kind of writer who has no trouble with ideas. That means I'll never get to write all the things I want to.'

As far as I can tell, I'm the incredibly lucky kind of writer who has no trouble with ideas. That means I'll never get to write all the things I want to, so this drawer is overstuffed and every few months I try to audit it ruthlessly.

'A chapter is written, then re-written overnight by my dreaming mind and recast in the morning. '

A chapter is written, then re-written overnight by my dreaming mind and recast in the morning. For example, I woke up yesterday to discover that a female character I'd written as single was in fact in a longterm relationship.

'Looking back, I think I always had my guard up. Most of my school friends were white; I'm black, and so the experiences I had at home were very different.'

Looking back, I think I always had my guard up. Most of my school friends were white; I'm black, and so the experiences I had at home were very different to the ones they had. As early on as primary school, I learned not to share so openly.

'Nina was not me. She just had my story. She was her own woman and she changed me, at the darkest time of my life. '

Nina was not me. She just had my story. She was her own woman and she changed me, at the darkest time of my life. She gave me hope, because she always looked forward.

'Thankyou for packing the case for our long journey with language, story, curiosity. Thanks for being solitary and bad at maths.'

Thankyou for packing the case for our long journey with language, story, curiosity. Thanks for biting away at the apple, for being solitary and bad at maths, awkward at the youth club.

'Think of the reader, whatever you're writing, and make it easy for them. It doesn't matter if there is only ever one reader, but don't show off. '

Think of the reader, whatever you're writing, and make it easy for them. It doesn't matter if there is only ever one reader, but don't show off. Just tell the story. Make it so they don't see the scenes.