Push the envelope too far as a female artist, and you may only earn an ocean of ink expressing concern for your delicate constitution, amounting to a caution against playing on traditionally male wavelengths.

Writing a novel about feminism can be a thankless task.

The podcast revolution has taught us that women's voices aren't just pleasurable to listen to, they are essential.

Research can be a boon to a novelist - there are more things in heaven and Earth than can be dreamt of in a single writer's philosophy - or it can become a hindrance, a thick layer of algae that weighs down the storytelling.

Everybody knows that Coutinho is a great footballer - here in England, they call him 'The Magician.' He made his decision to join Barcelona, but every time we meet and play for the Selecao, we have a good chat and maintain that friendship. He is an exceptional guy and one of the best friends football has given me.

Especially when I finish one of my songs I play it to my friends who are just normal people and not people in the music business.

I think faith helps me a lot. God wants you to be where He wants you to be, and that's where I want to be. If I do not get a part, I understand that maybe I needed to be home at that time, maybe in school; there's always a reason. My faith is also where my core friends are, at my church, a faith-based friendship.

If you change, it's because you want to. I will never change, and I never could change because the people around me are the same people who have always been there. My friends are the same, and that means you can never forget where you came from.