I would write light entertainment nonfiction pieces during the day, then come home and work on my fantasy fiction. It was very difficult to get out of the one mindset and into another one.

Clary screamed out loud as he fell like a stone- And landed lightly on his feet just in front of her. Clary stared with her mouth open as he rose up out of a shallow crouch and grinned at her. "If I made a joke about just dropping in," he said, "would you write me off as a cliché?

I really love fantasy. I have to say it is my favourite genre to read and one of the genres I love the most to write.

Sometimes minor characters are based on people I know, on friends of mine. But I'm not writing a thinly veiled version of my own life.

But you hate poetry! Yes, but you make me want to write it.

I love reading epic fantasies and big fat books and so I really wanted to write one. I think you always write what you want to read.

Creating characters is like throwing together ingredients for a recipe. I take characteristics I like and dislike in real people I know, or know of, and use them to embellish and define characters.

And write what you love - dont feel pressured to write serious prose if what you like is to be funny.