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I write novels, mostly historical ones, and I try hard to keep them accurate as to historical facts, milieu and flavor.

When I'm writing a novel, I'm usually just trying to write about things that are interesting to me.

Novels are my favorite to write and read. I do like writing personal essays, too. I'm not really a short story writer, nor do I tend to gravitate to them as a reader.

Writing is incidental to my primary objective, which is spinning a good yarn. I view myself as a storyteller more than a writer. The story - and hence the extensive research that goes into each one of my books - is much more important than the words that I use to narrate it.

I write the kinds of novels I like to read, where the setting is rendered with love and care.

I love novels where not much 'happens' but where the interest is in the ideas and analyses of characters.

To me, novels are a trip of discovery, and you discover things that you don't know and you assume that many of your readers don't know, and you try to bring them to life on the page.

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

I write novels and other things.

I like to write about a lot of things, which is why my books are different. This is probably why I don't like to write sequels, but chiefly I like to write about people.