I'd always assumed that I would die at about the same age as my dad - he was 45. I am five years in credit now. I can't get my head around the fact that I am older than he was - ever.

I'm a four star general in this thing, and you don't rise to the ranks of a four star general by hanging about the house being the perfect dad.

As I get older and I get a few more years experience I become more like Dad, you know, King Lear.

One day when I was like 9, I heard the Beatles on the radio, and I asked my dad who they were. He told me they were the best band in the world, and I became obsessed. He started giving me their albums in sequential order, and I listened to them - and only them - until I was probably in high school.

I think people like to think I'm in some way financially dependent on my family - on my dad - but the fact of the matter is I've been emancipated from my father since I was 14 years old. That's something people don't know or understand.

My mom grew up in Kansas, my dad in Indiana. They had boring childhoods.

My mom was a dancer, my dad's a singer and I've always had that kind of music in my life.

From about eight years old I was always making things on the sewing machine. Friends would see me making dresses and costumes, and I'd use difficult fabrics such as Lycra and elastic. But you know, my dad was creative and my brother is inventive too.

Mum and dad thought I was going to say I was pregnant. I said oh no, no, I've just been nominated for a Golden Globe. They were like, oh that's lovely, love.

One of the accidental joys of my writing life has been that I've had some lovely, surprisingly good fortune with readers, and I've brought readers to my dad's work. I can't tell you the joy that gives me. Because my father's work was masterful.