It's important, that spirit of youth, and when you're 16 that can get you kickstarted.

I remember in Shallow Grave I remember a few times when we'd only have to do one take. But when you did have to do more than one, you'd build on the one you'd done.

I don't pay much attention to career or what other people think. I've always been quite arrogant.

I don't do things lightly; I don't take a job then just phone it in - I've never done that.

Good art in general aspires to something, as a good painting aspires to something, almost spiritual or holy.

I was having a nice anonymous little time as a writer. I really was on the writer path. I was sort of minding my own business. I loved making a living in music.

Music is an important part of my writing process.

It was actually a women's writing group I belonged to in graduate school that gave me the courage to move from poetry to fiction.