Criticism is part of being in the marketplace. If you can't take a bit of criticism, you shouldn't bother publishing a book.

The way British publishing works is that you go from not being published no matter how good you are, to being published no matter how bad you are.

I don't take much notice of reviews now - obviously you'd like to have straight worship but you're never going to get that.

You can't really win as a Booker judge. If you choose the obvious names, the unit-shifters, you're accused of being timid and unimaginative; if you choose the unfamous, you're labelled willful and perverse.

No one wants a masterpiece knocking around when your own book is looking for attention.

As an author, I realise, you're on your own. You have to do everything you can to help The Book. If I make sure people know it's out there, they can make up their own minds whether they want to read it.