I am the ragged fur coat my English Literature teacher wore in a cold boarding school classroom
And all the stories she encouraged me to write
I am a publisher’s rejection letter
I am five publishers’ rejection letters. Then six, then seven…
I am the white boots I wear in 1975 to meet the eighth publisher, Penelope Hoare
And her devastating smile of acceptance
I am Robert Merivel, and all my characters who came before and after him
I am the eyes of my readers on the underground
I am Lev, wounded hero of The Road Home
I am Rose Tremain, winner of the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction 2008
I am all these things and all these people.

I am who I am because of everyone.