“I'm happy to work until I'm 70 if I'm able to. Actually, I'm happy to ...” — Nick Earls Quote

I'm happy to work until I'm 70 if I'm able to. Actually, I'm happy to keep writing as long as people keep buying my books.

I like to jot down ideas on the back of envelopes and to recognise the potential value in small things. I also like the freedom to think without feeling compelled to write too early. Stories are often better if we can hold back and get to know the characters and the sounds of language.

I wrote my first novel-length story when I was 14 but had no idea what to do with it. Brisbane was a long way from the publishing industry then. Nowhere's a long way from the publishing industry now.

My maternal grandmother was the longest-lived of my grandparents. She migrated to Australia in her 80s and lived into her 90s. It was great that she got to be part of my adult life.

I met this wonderful girl at Macy's. She was buying clothes and I was putting Slinkies on the escalator.

You know, when I eat three peas, I'm pregnant. When I visit a city, I'm buying a house.

There used to be rather serious firewalls between the artist and the buying public - the gallery, the publisher. And technology demolishes that wall and basically says, 'Self-promote or die.' And that is a bad head for any sort of artist to be forced into.

I always liked having my own money and buying my own stuff. I didn't want to depend on somebody to do it for me.

Buying is a profound pleasure.