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‘What does it mean to be a writer? To excavate invisible journeys’
‘Who is my perfect reader? Someone tucked up under a blanket on a cold winter night’
‘What music helps me write? Movie soundtracks — my favourite is Jim Jarmusch’s ‘Dead Man’, by Neil Young’
‘What does it mean to be a writer? It means being someone who scratches an itch with a pen’
‘What is the best piece of advice a parent gave to me? Always take the most difficult option because why would you have included it otherwise?’
‘What am I most proud of writing? ‘The Killing Game’, which was published in Esquire and drove hunters nuts’
‘Who would I like to sit next to at a dinner party? I sat next to Doris Lessing once. It’s hard to beat that’
‘Who is my perfect reader? One who creates his own story while reading’
‘When did I know I would be a writer? Never — I have to prove it all the time’
‘What is the best piece of advice a parent gave me? I am born on the sunny side of life’
‘When did I know I was going to be a writer? In 2014 when my agent sold a manuscript for six figures’
Veterinary pharma group has pet project in emerging markets
‘What am I scared of? Let’s just say it’s nice to get letters from the NHS saying everything seems fine’
‘What am I scared of? Death, pain, the supernatural, flying, worms and maggots’
Pension scheme’s implicit state ‘halo’ of a guarantee keeps it ahead of rivals
‘What keeps me awake at night? Dodgy similes, the fact we are leaving the EU, semicolon usage; good books’
Final credits are about to roll in Pinewood Studios’ shareholder saga
Do I have a writing routine? Yes. I procrastinate, and then with the help of coffee (and lately cannabis), I try
What am I most proud of writing? ‘Weatherland’
What is the best piece of advice a parent gave me? ‘Rest more, get more sleep, go slower’. I never take it
‘When do I feel most free? Walking away. It’s always walking away’
‘Do I keep a diary? I used to, but I only wrote in it when I was upset. That seemed like a bad legacy to leave behind’
Who might I choose to play me in a film about my life? Adam Scott, who is in ‘Parks and Recreation’ and who people say I look like, and Gonzo from ‘The Muppets’
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