"Far from helping me to enrich my novel, research was stopping me from writing a good one."

'When you’re starting out as a writer, there’s so much to consider that it can be bewildering.'

My dad was an international pot smuggler. His organisation was responsible for shipping hundreds of tons of Thai stick into America. He was

'That is what a translator is: a conveyor of emotions. A guide who leads the readers into the author’s world.'

'Don’t be afraid to learn hard truths and ditch an idea that hasn’t worked, it is never wasted time.'

10 ways to enjoy all the fun of London Book Fair.

'The more experience I gain, the less likely I'll be to look back on my work and hate it.'

'I tend to swear quite a lot or be a bit ruder when I’m performing.'

'To break through your creative dead ends, march forward regardless.'

'Their enthusiasm soon dwindled when I relayed some honest and emotive accounts of my time at war.'