I jealously guard my research time and I love fully immersing myself in those dusty old books and papers. It’s one of the most enjoyable parts of my job.

Muscat is like a mind-altering drug. A stroll in its streets is like getting drunk for the first time

It’s ridiculous – a girl steps out, goes dancing, gets her hair cut, decides to spend the summer in Italy and it’s a scandal. A chap does it and no one bats an eyelid.

I am completely unflustered by whichever medium people choose to read my words. I’m just delighted they’re reading them at all!

It occurred to me that as a man I could do anything, everything I wanted.

I’ve always felt that good writing does not have to be literary.

When you’re depressed you retreat and you go into a smaller world. This is why Brighton worked well for the story, because it’s a smaller world than London.

On of the prerequisites for my mobile phone is that I have to be able to fling it at a wall if I lose my temper.

I’ve always been attracted to stories about rebels – things that are unusual and sometimes dangerous.

New technologies and resources offer exciting opportunities. They democratise access to information.

Social and cultural history is often comprised of whatever diaries and letters remain and that is down to chance and wide open to interpretation.