I spent 10 years as a marketing manager. I've found my experience in the financial world invaluable background for writing about white-collar crimes.

Sometimes I panic and think I can't really write.

I had wanted to write Ghost Country for a long time, but it wouldn't work.

I realised I'd never climb Everest but thought I could still write a book

It took me nine months to write 60 pages. It was very frustrating

I look at the great poets of the Soviet Union, like Anna Akhmatova, who endured far worse then anything we've seen or hopefully that we will ever see. If they could keep writing and keep a voice alive, keep people hopeful through their poetry, then I would be ashamed to stop and to give in. It would be really self-indulgent, unacceptable, and inexcusable to walk away from it.

Write what you care about.