Sebastian Faulks was the first literary editor of the Independent (and later deputy editor of the Independent on Sunday) before he left office life in 1991 to concentrate on his writing. His novels include Birdsong and Charlotte Gray, part of a trilogy set in France during both world wars.

His eighth novel, Engelby, is a modern dark comedy out this month. Faulks lives in London with his wife and three children.

Who is your perfect reader?

Claire Tomalin or my father-in-law.

What’s the last book you couldn’t finish?

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.

What is the last thing you read that made you laugh out loud?

The government’s Iraqi WMD dossier.

How many books do you read at once?

About three, usually.

What proportion of the books you own have you actually read?

Around half.

At what hour of the day does inspiration strike?

When I tell it to, between 10am and 6pm.

What book changed your life?

Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence.

Best piece of advice a parent gave you?

”Fine words butter no parsnips.”

When did you last cry, and why?

Last week during the last scene of the film Amazing Grace.

What makes you cross to read?

The word ”iconic”.

What are you scared of?

Magical realism.

What keeps you awake at night?

Nothing much.

What’s your current favourite word?

Congratulations.

What would you go back and change?

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was probably a mistake.

Who would you contact at a séance?

Bobby Moore or Ralph Richardson.

Who would you choose to play you in a film about your life?

Gene Wilder.

What would you change about yourself?

My temperament.

What does it mean to be a writer?

Constant self-monitoring to see if a thought is actually an idea.

When do you feel most free?

When the St Malo ferry leaves Portsmouth.

Which literary character most resembles you?

Smallweed in Bleak House by Charles Dickens.

Have you ever bought a copy of your own book?

Yes, once, to give to a student who couldn’t afford it.

Would you rather marry a good poet or a bad novelist?

A good poet - bad novelists should marry one another (and not breed).

Interview by Stanley Pignal.