The creative process, no matter whether it's painting, sculpture, dance, gardening, finding a new route up a mountain, or writing, is one where you can engage with that quiet place within yourself, a place that no one else can really share. There is a special joy for the writer, I think, in creating characters and seeing what they will do. You are never really a puppet-master, although it may seem that way. Often the characters control the writer, rather than being controlled by him. I have found that the growing circumstances of the book mirror life and the characters act or react in their own unique, and often surprising, way.

I have some editing to do on a third book - non-fiction this time - but I have been more focused on marketing than writing.

I find I don't read much fiction at the moment, but I still love writers like John Steinbeck, Doris Lessing and many of the old classical writers. I have recently discovered Colum McCann and intend to read more of his work.

My love of God and delight in the abundance of His creation: my precious family and friends.

Mundane things like housework, bottling jams and chutneys, gardening and reading.

I follow leads from friends and snippets from things I've read online. I generally read more fact than fiction, and I enjoy biographies.

One of the earliest was about a discarded shoe but I wrote without saying what it was directly. It's tongue lolled out and it had lost its soul. I remember that it was read out to the class but no-one was really aware that it was just a shoe.

My son, Jordan, did both covers and I was delighted with the result.