‘Who would I most like to sit next to at a dinner party? Tolstoy! Late Tolstoy. He was a vegetarian. More steak for me’
‘My writing routine? Writing is like laundry. I try and get it done when I can’
‘Who would you choose to play you in a film?’ ‘Gugu Mbatha-Raw’
‘Who would I most like to sit next to at a dinner party? Ideally my wife. Failing that, the guy who punched Richard Spencer in the face at that Nazi rally’
‘What is my current favourite word? Cocytos’
‘Do I have a writing routine? Yes; I write in the same rhythms and patterns as ocean waves’
‘When was I happiest? My wedding day really was the most extraordinary high; it’s the most intense chemical experience I’ve had’
‘What is the last thing you read that made me laugh out loud? George RR Martin’s A Feast for Crows’
‘What am I scared of? The consequences of my ignorance, and the kind of world my baby daughter will inherit’
‘How would I earn my living if I had to give up writing? As a detective’
‘Where do I write best? Anywhere I can put my feet up’
Who would I most like to sit next to at a dinner party? Vera Baird, Northumbria’s police and crime commissioner
‘What does it mean to be a writer? Permanent financial crisis with moments of serenity’
‘What does it mean to be a writer? ‘Squat’. It means absolutely ‘squat’
What does it mean to be a writer? Listening to people, encouraging yourself, stopping yourself
‘Who would I most like to sit next to at a dinner party? Someone full of trivia who isn’t looking at their phone’
‘Do I have a writing routine? Not a strict one, but my best thoughts come in the evenings’
‘Who is my perfect reader? One who knows that the novel is wiser than its author’
‘What is my current favourite word? Impeachment’
‘What does it mean to be a writer? To give precise and enduring expression to the human experience’
‘What does it mean to be a writer? To be alone in many ways’
‘Who is my perfect reader? My ex-boyfriend and best friend, Ariel. He has read everything I’ve written and he sums up the person I write for’
‘Where do I write best? I usually began the books in my home in New Zealand, which is so quiet and calm, with beautiful views to the ocean and islands’
‘How do I relax? I read a thriller’
‘When did I know I was going to be a writer? I didn’t. It took me a long time to accept that I was a writer’
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