“Because I saw my parents relaxing in armchairs and reading and liking ...” — Maeve Binchy Quote

Because I saw my parents relaxing in armchairs and reading and liking it, I thought it was a peaceful grown-up thing to do, and I still think that.

In my stories, whenever there's somebody wonderful and charming and bright and intelligent, that's me!

Of course I wanted children. Bright, gorgeous, loving children. I could almost see them.

I wore miniskirts in the days when no fat girls should have, and with total delight.

I am much more understanding of people than I used to be when I was young - people were either villainous or wonderful. They were painted in very bright colours. The bad side of it - and there is a corollary to everything - is that when we get older, we fuss more. I used to despise people who fussed.

Finally, for all of us but a lucky few, the dream of playing big-time baseball is relinquished so we can get on with grown-up things.

If you're in a successful band, you tend to fall into a role. But I'm not remotely laddish. I'm a grown-up. I'm vegan and teetotal. I run 50 miles a week, listening to Franz Ferdinand and the Four Tops at top volume.

It was so strange because I thought Washington was going to be so grown-up, and everyone was going to be so nice. Then people were saying to me, 'Watch your back in D.C.' Why? Really? I have to watch my back in D.C?

As a child, I thought, 'Once I am a grown-up, there will be no more fear, no more worries,' and it turns out that's not true.