'A writer's passion'

'A writer's passion, his belief in his work, is what keeps him going through those long, dark stretches when it seems as if no one is ever going to get it. But if a writer has got himself out there - just a toe in the water - then readers' passions come into play too, and in the age of Amazon and e-readers independent booksellers still have a huge role to play. A bookseller you trust is like a friend; you may not believe the reviews you read online, but if someone looks you in the eye and presses a book into your hands, that's different.'

Erica Wagner, Literary Editor of The Times