As a novelist it is my job to tell stories that inspire and entertain but I am increasingly mindful that many of these historical tales (which of themselves are fascinating) relate directly to our issues in society today.

Often we don't notice the stringent rules to which our culture subjects us.

Change occurs slowly. Very often a legal change might take place but the cultural shift required to really accept its spirit lingers in the wings for decades.

An important part of deciding where we want to go, as a society and culture, is knowing where we have come from, and indeed, how far we have come.