It's the feeling of completeness that it gives me. Not writing is like a form of quiet torment...a build up of pent-up emotions that can only be freed by writing... It's very therapeutic.

To make a reader happy is the greatest satisfaction I know. That characters who spring from my mind, onto the page can entertain and lighten the load of a third-party, brings a contentedness I have not found elsewhere. I was so delighted to find that others who appreciate the wit and brilliance of Jane Austen found that, in some small way, my writing has added to her works (and not taken from them). When I get so many 5 star reviews and people say they can't wait for my next book, I feel so encouraged and grateful.

Mary Bennet comes into her own in my next novel. I feel that she is a quiet, deep, spiritual, witty and very passionate person. Life conspires to make her life and decisions very interesting...and I wish to explore that.

In no particular order - PG Wodehouse, Elizabeth Gilbert, Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Agatha Christie, John Mortimor, Donal Ryan, Khaled Hoissini

Life - even when it's hard is a very beautiful privilege. I want to live each day to the full and experience so much. When I die, regardless of my age, I want to feel that I've lived a full life.

I work with people with disabilities, I also spend time with my husband and two young kids. I like to go for walks in the surrounding countryside, drink tea and meditate.

It was a travel story..I have travelled lots, all over the world and met the most interesting, colourful and outrageous characters....all great material for a story.

I percolate...ideas come into my head, during quiet times and especially when I'm out walking...it's important for me to jot down on scraps of paper and later just write up notes on the computer. When I eventually sit down to put structure on the book, it comes pretty fast and easily as most of it was worked out in my head beforehand. Be warned, however, my head is fit to explode sometimes when I let it build up, therefore, the importance of scribbling notes.

This is so, so important to me. I know the connection I have with a book is primarily because of the cover design. There is so much with regards tone, theme and content that can be conveyed on a cover. I worked very closely with a talented designer called Andrew Brown who relayed the exact image I used for The Longbourn Letters based on the colours, ideas etc... I gave him. It's one of the first things that people say to me - what a great cover I have.

Light-hearted usually. I find, as I grew older, I've become more sensitive and like to protect myself from stories that will tear me apart (unless they are doing so to make me become more humane as with 'A Thousand Splendid Suns')

It's my lap at present as I lay on the sofa. When writing The Longbourn Letters, however, I set up camp at a Georgian hotel in a beautiful setting, by a sash window, drinking tea and listening to classical music. The environment should match the tone of the book to some degree.