I was looking for inspiration on this cold, wet, October afternoon, when along came the ever astonishing Edna O’Brien. At 82 she is girlish, exuberant, edgy and wise. Her hands dance as she speaks, creating the impression she is using them to help rake up exactly the right word. She leaves the impression that for however carefree and fluent she seems, precision is everything.

I want to write, I want to keep writing, I want to write better. I have to be a hermit if I am going to write.