Quote

I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves.

I love to decorate a room - from the furniture to the objects to the books.

I'd always want to decorate my bedroom. I needed visuals and to be stimulated by things. I'm still like that. It's the way I see the world.

But I hang on to books. I love them. I even think they're very nice decor in a room - far better than paintings... That's not quite true!

I love making books for children. Big kids, little kids, old kids and new.

I don't think I am that materialistic, actually. Obviously at home in the country the art collection is important, but we have one big room in the middle of the house where we do everything - the television, the kitchen, everything.

Decorating has always been my hobby.

I have two quite large houses, and every cupboard and drawer is stuffed with books.

I do like to wrap things up and leave some things to the readers' imagination.

I know that the last thing a book wants is to just sit around unread, serving as an element of interior decorating. So when I have people over, all they have to do is glance at my books, and I implore them to take a few home with them. If I am really ambitious, I pack books into boxes and donate them to prisons.