The characters and situations in my books are usually traceable to people and situations I've known or have come close to. They are often an exploration of something mysterious and undisclosed in my life or in the life of someone I've loved. I never know, when I begin a novel, how it will turn out. The writing is a journey filled with surprises, the familiar often appearing in unfamiliar guises. I follow these clues.
Writers often have magical recollections of books in their childhood.
I'm tempted to make something up here, but the truth is I don't remember having a favourite book as a child. There weren't many books in my childhood. Books were coveted and mysterious objects from another culture. I don't remember ever owning a book, except a backless copy of Billy Bunter that sat on the window sill of my bedroom for years. My daughter tells me there's no difficulty with it however.