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I spend about eight months researching and outlining my book.

With the novels, I try to write a few pages a day - it doesn't sound much, but it can be difficult if I'm not sure where the story is going.

I typically spend a year thinking about a book before I begin writing it.

I spend about a year between novels.

Since I make my living as a literary journalist, not a book scout, I spend inordinate amounts of time either reading or writing.

I'm a novelist, that's how I make my livelihood, and I concentrate on the novels.

Before trying a novel I wrote a couple of plays.

I'm always determined that as a novelist I'm going to go out there and research my characters very thoroughly before I start writing.

It takes me three or four years to research and write each book and the individual stories stay with you for a long time afterwards.

I read a lot. I am an inveterate reader. I always have a novel going.