Any time I go into anything like this, I make sure, before I ever put pen to paper, that I've got the say, ... If you don't, it's like putting your kid in an orphanage.

It's the first time I've seen any of my work done like this,

I suppose there's a child inside me who wants to get out, ... A little baldy child with a beard. Ha!

I still pinch meself when I wake up of a morning, ... Who ever thought I'd be a children's author -- let alone a best-selling children's author? I feel I should still be driving a truck, or (working as) a longshoreman.

Ah, 'tis a good strong yarn, about the sea, and all the legends that surround it,

I use animals native to Great Britain, ... The animals have human traits, like the mole is a tiny, furry wonderful creature with big digging claws. I think about how he would talk. He's not a baddie; he's a goodie.