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I instantly chucked my academic ambitions and began writing fiction full-time.

I wanted to be a novelist for so long.

I was pretty happy with how my career had gone, mainly because of the enormous freedom I've had to write what I've wanted to write. I had a very clear picture of who I was as a writer.

I pretty much always wanted to be a writer.

I have written more than 100 novels and novellas since 1983 - I was first published in 1985. There was an overlap of three years with my teaching career, but finally I felt good enough about my writing career to quit teaching and write full time.

After university, I got a job sub-editing and for years I was a literary editor.

I've carved out a career for myself really as a writer.

I quit my job, and went ashore to become a writer.