In actual life I am a grumpy old bag.
Other than my memory being a bit woolly and my knees being a bit creaky, I don't really think there's anything I can't do.
Young people need their own private places which mothers don't belong to, even if they want mother all around the edge of that.
I think of myself now as a writer, although I wouldn't go as far as to say 'novelist' because that sounds like a Victorian person.
I'm constantly astounded by how amazing women are. And as we go through all these different stages of life as long as you share them with others and say, 'Well, this is bloody weird', you can get through everything.
When I wrote 'Dear Fatty,' I realised that sitting and writing alone is an absolute joy.
I do think you are supposed to go through wars with your child because otherwise the tearing apart that has to happen when they go off to lead their own life would be unbearable.
I'd like to play a horse, many people think I already have. Either end of the horse would be fine.
That's the weird thing about not being married - you can't get regular kissing; you can't be guaranteed of it, and that's a great shame.
It was my father who taught me to value myself. He told me that I was uncommonly beautiful and that I was the most precious thing in his life.
Divorce is not easy, but if you genuinely put your kids first, that dictates the civility you should show each other. What example are you otherwise?
I have turned away from the thought of writing fiction in the past through what I suppose is, actually, fear. The direct, raw invitation for the reader to come in and explore my imagination is fairly scary for me so I have busied myself with so much else.
I've chosen to stay in a jolly place for most of my life, and that is a lot of who I am.
For me, whatever age or size I've been, I have rather liked myself. The shell is not the thing at all.
My daughter couldn't care less about me being famous. She finds it revolting and, like a lot of teenagers, is virtually allergic to me. That started at 12 and hasn't gone anywhere yet.
I want to do something where I play Judi Dench's younger sister or daughter.
Evolving into a middle-aged person is quite interesting if we can understand what it means. I would like to think it meant being a bit sure of what I want.
Why would anyone want to be called a size zero or even aspire to being a zero? I don't even understand the thinking behind it, let alone the practicalities. What is all that about?
That's the awful thing about dating. Tight underwear. We would all like to be in a big bra and pants and when you are in a secure relationship you can do that.
The theatre is one of those muscles - if you don't exercise it, it becomes a strange and truly fearful place.