Joanna Trollope

I don't always set stories in villages, more often in towns. But always in smallish communities because the characters' actions are more visible there, and the dramatic tension is heightened.

I am not a fan of the cupcake image. This idea that you can distract a girl with something frivolous like a cake or shoes or handbags, and she won't be a threat to men.

I'm a third done into a new book but sorry - I have a superstition about talking about it!

As a young child my attention span was, as I remember it, rather short.

Well, I actually wrote her a letter a couple of days ago congratulating her. The tone I tried to convey in the letter is, look, you are a part of a great American historical process.

I have a naturally camp sensibility and a camp sense of humour. I love the icons that gay people love.