For when all else is done, on­ly words re­main. Words en­dure.

Usually I decide on what it is I'm writing next by the books I'm reading.

I am not a fan of historical fiction that is sloppy in its research or is dishonest about the real history.

All prizes have a role, if they are run with integrity and with a clear focus on reading and quality writing. I don't think any of them is necessary, but they all play an incredibly important role in building a body of literature, in introducing new authors to new readers, and extending reading.

I'll write to you. A super-long letter, like in an old-fashioned novel

The colour of the magpie, her father was saying, was symbolic of creation. The void, the mystery of that which had not yet taken form. Black and white, he said. Presence and absence.