I have a hippopotamus skull next to my bed, called Gregory. When I was six, my three sisters and I clubbed together and paid £4 for it in a junk shop. We collected owl pellets, ostrich eggs and sheep skulls for our natural history museum at home. Deborah Moggach bedcallclub share on social
I wanted to be a landscape architect, but I trained as a teacher; I worked in publishing; I was a waitress. Deborah Moggach architectlandscapepublish Change image and share on social
I'm quite easy to live with and very easy going. Deborah Moggach easylive Change image and share on social
Independence is fun, especially when there's a beloved waiting in the wings, and freedom makes you a more interesting person. Having separate lives brings fresh air into a relationship. Deborah Moggach airbelovedbring Change image and share on social
You need to know the characters as living, breathing people before you start the plot; otherwise, you'll feel panic, anarchy and chaos. Deborah Moggach anarchybreathechaos Change image and share on social
Bringing my two children up while writing was just a part of life. I'd much rather have had their interruptions than been stuck in a sterile office. This way, I had welcome distractions. I had to load the washing machine, I had to go out and buy lemons. Deborah Moggach bringbuychild share on social
Nothing beats weaving through the rush-hour traffic or whizzing past the eternal gridlock that is the Strand. Deborah Moggach beateternalgridlock Change image and share on social
I'm always running my mouth off and getting myself in trouble, so I'm trying to do it less. Deborah Moggach mouthruntrouble Change image and share on social
I hate fussing about in the kitchen when I have people over to supper, so I make a rich beef stew cooked in wine with carrots, sundried tomato paste and chopped chorizo sausage. Deborah Moggach beefcarrotchop Change image and share on social
It's not a failure if a marriage or partnership ends after a certain number of years. I think, in general, we expect too much of partners. We can't fulfil a person's every single need and, after ten years or so, many relationships wear out. If we were more philosophical about it, we wouldn't try to blame the other person or be bitter. Deborah Moggach bitterblameend share on social