The author contemplates

What do you think of modern day Nottingham?
The city has changed a lot, in some ways for the better. I'm impressed by the energy I always feel when I come here. One of my favourite haunts in my youth was the Lace Market. I like the changes they're doing there. I also like the way they've preserved the centre and outskirts of the city. I think the tram will be good for Nottingham. I've got vague memories of trams form my youth.

The front cover of Sillitoe's latest novel

What are your plans after Birthday?
I'll write another novel eventually. I'm always making notes in a notebook and they may form around characters. My inspiration comes from a number of sources - what I see, what I imagine, what I read.

Ever thought of retiring?
The energy and appetite to write is still there. A book can take two to three years to write. When working I can easily be in my room from 9.30am to midnight.

What's your method for writing?
I write in pen and ink then type up the pages. The next process is to correct the pages until you can hardly see the type. This is repeated several times. I work and work and work on the story. It can easily take 18 months of rewriting before I'm satisfied. I'm not one of these writers who, once something is down on paper, it can never be rewritten. Having said that every writer is different.