I work in my attic, and the view is next door's chimney stack.

I wanted to have a body of work behind me before I wrote about racism.

They are like a chimney going to the attic. Each chase way can be equivalent to an open window.

I started reading seriously at seven or eight, books about myths and legends, the Narnia series. By the time I was 11, I had read all the children's books in my local library, so I moved on to 'Jane Eyre.' What I loved about Jane Eyre was that she didn't rely on her looks but her character. She had a spirit nobody could break.

I don't believe in regrets. There are a few things I'd do differently, but I can't go back in time and redo them, however much I might wish to. All I can do is learn from past mistakes and move forward.

Reading is an exercise in empathy; an exercise in walking in someone else's shoes for a while.