A Novel Is Written Not To Be

We Have Lost The Art Of Public Tenderness, These Small Gestures Of Wiping And Washing; We Have Forgotten How Abjectly The Body Welcomes A Formal Touch.

There's Quite A Big Gap When It Comes To That Dual Identity Of Mother And Child, Or Even A Pregnant Woman, Or A Nursing Woman. It Kind Of Begs The Question Of That Very Strong Western Idea Of The Individual Self.

I Have A Small Room To Write In. One Wall Is Completely Covered In Books. And I Face The Window With The Curtain Closed To Stop The Light Hitting The Computer.

I Am Interested In Levels Of Brain Discourse. How Articulate Are The Voices In Your Head? You Know, There's A Different Voice For The Phone, And A Different Voice If You're Talking In Bed. When You're Starting Off With A Narrator, It's Interesting To Think, Where Is Their Voice Coming From, What Part Of Their Brain?

There Are Men Who Would Do Anything, Asleep, And I'm Not Sure What Stops Them When They Wake. I Do Not Know How They Draw The Line.