I love writing in my loft, surrounded by books and art materials … but then upload online, and download for evening browsing and revision on phone. Then email to myself for next morning … It’s a virtuous cycle!

First felt like a writer at age 11, when I won this prize at school for a description of a coral reef in Malaysia where I lived then. The choice of book indicates also an abiding interest in horror, later to be my PhD subject!

I’ve drawn maps in my novel. Big fan of literary maps - Ransome, Tolkien, Stevenson, Lewis. Fascinating project @lancasteruni.bsky.social on Chronotopic Cartographies. Here are my maps of the future (2154) city of Cant.

Fascinating discovery of letter by the young ST Coleridge. We sometimes forget that the greatest writers were prone to self-doubt.

Whose idiotic idea was it to rename the lovely Russell Hotel the “Fitzroy”? TS Eliot must be turning in his grave …

My favourite bookshelf at home. Endless inspiration.