I Write My Books In My Head,

Usually Halfway Through A Book I Have A Serious Depression, So I Go On Safari On My Ranch In South Africa, Or Fishing Off My Island In The Seychelles. When I Come Back And Re-read It, I Think: 'what Was All That About, Smith? It's Fine, Just Get On With It.'

My Family Wasn't Terribly Affluent And Looked Upon Money Very Carefully As Something That Had To Be Saved, Not Spent. My Father Built The Ducting That Took Air Into The Copper Mines And Made About 6 D A Yard In The Thirties, Which Was Good Money Back Then.

At The Age Of 12 I Won The School Prize For Best English Essay. The Prize Was A Copy Of Somerset Maugham's 'introduction To Modern English And American Literature.' To This Day I Keep It On The Shelf Between My Collection Of Forester's Works And The Little Urn That Contains My Mother's Ashes.

Authors Can Only Soft Sell The Environment. Create A Wonderful Story Around The Environment Involving The Characters That Leaves A Lasting Impression On The Reader's Mind.

The Really Disturbing Thing About Somalia Is That In A Country Where There Are Few Economic Opportunities, Pirates Are Perceived As Glamorous And Are Held In Awe By Young Boys Who Aspire To Their Lifestyle.