I try not to think about writers who came before me when I'm writing myself. If I did, given the abundance of literary talent Scotland - and Edinburgh in particular - has bestowed upon the world, I wouldn't be able to get as much as a sentence written.

Noir focuses on the criminal mind, not a whodunit: more why they did it and will they get away with it. The abnormal psychology is what fascinates me rather than the puzzle-solving aspect.

Music was something I was encouraged to do, which I appeared to be quite good at, but it was never a passion. Writing was always my first love.

I managed to fit most of the writing to evenings and weekends, and my wife has been very supportive.

Life can't defeat a writer who is in love with writing, for life itself is a writer's lover until death.

I love TV, don't get me wrong. But with film, you're just banging out this one product, and you're not waiting on another script. You have your script. It's great in that way. It's as close to theater as you can get.

There's nothing like theater. It's really amazing. But it does take up all of your time. I would like to get into more film, just because I find it super fascinating.

Anyone who lives within his means suffers from a lack of imagination.