It's a bit of a life-changer,

Without the balancing context of everyday life, all you have is the news, and news by its nature is generally bad.

Sometimes, one wants to have the illusion that one is making ones own life, out of one's own resources.

English fiction was something I loved growing up, and it changed my life - it changed the trajectory of my life.

I just can't get used to the idea of being somebody unreal in people's minds. I can't live my life like that. And it's just anathema to being a writer. It's not healthy.

If you asked me if I wanted more joyful experiences in my life, I wouldn't be at all sure I did, exactly because it proves such a difficult emotion to manage.