The 5-minute Interview: Kate Mosse, Author
'I'm surprised I wrote a novel that so many people wanted to read'
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Your support makes all the difference.Mosse, 46, is a former publisher, co-founder of the Orange Prize for Fiction and author of the bestselling historical thriller 'Labyrinth', which took her 10 years to write. She published the follow-up, 'Sepulchre', last year.
If I weren't talking to you right now I'd be...
Walking the dog. We've got one for the first time in my life. It's 10 months old.
A common misperception of me is...
People think that I'm very serious. Or, of course, that I'm a glamorous supermodel.
I wish that people would take more notice of...
The position of women in developing countries.
A phrase I use far too often is...
"That's amazing", or "how odd", or "I'll just be five minutes", because I always underestimate how long things take.
The most surprising thing that happened to me was...
Spending 10 years writing a novel that so many people wanted to read. I really didn't expect that. I knew my mum would buy it, though.
I am not a politician but...
I would organise lessons about negotiations and compromise.
I'm good at...
Talking and friendship. I really like people and I keep friendships. I have people from all parts of my life.
I'm very bad at...
Time management, and I'm bad at saying "no". I always try to fit too much in.
The ideal night out is ...
A night in, sitting at home with my family, a glass of white wine and a TV dinner.
In moments of weakness I...
Go for a walk or a swim.
You know me as a writer but in another life I'd have been...
A tap-dancer. Whenever I try to learn it, it's a complete disaster.
The best age to be is...
The one you are now.
In a nutshell, my philosophy is this:
Live every day as if it's your last.
Alice-Azania Jarvis
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