'All Our Yesterdays' was unquestionably the best work I have ever done. And the reading public stayed away in droves.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
Readers let me know that they like books that have more to them than meets the eye. Had they not let me know that, I never would have written 'The View From Saturday.'
My father went to work by train every day. It was half an hour's journey each way, and he would read a paperback in four journeys. After supper, we all sat down to read - it was long before TV, remember!
One of the big breakthroughs I had as a writer was when I stopped agonising over every word.
I like to read away as much of the afternoon as possible, until real life rears its ugly head.
Much of my reading time over the last decade and a half has been spent reading aloud to my children. Those children's bedtime rituals of supper, bath, stories, and sleep have been a staple of my life and some of the best, most special times I can remember.
I never expected my books to do even as well as they have. I still feel grateful for it, every single day.
My ideal summer day was reading on the porch.
Most books today seemed to have been written overnight from books read the day before.
My last book, 'The Language of Flowers,' I wrote completely on naptime, when my little kids were asleep.
Reading has always been the great love of my life.