Would Alan Parker have made it today?

‘Hello, is that Paul?’

‘Yes’

‘This is Alan Parker. I’ve just read your new book. I thought it was terrific and I want to talk to you about it. Are you free for lunch next week?”

‘Yes!’, I practically yelled. The following week, I found myself sitting opposite one of my advertising and film-making heroes, the creator of magnificent films like Bugsy Malone, Midnight Express and Mississippi Burning. Surely, he wanted to turn my book into an Oscar winning movie.

As you’ve probably worked out, that wasn’t the case. He’d just called cut on his illustrious movie-making career, had written his first novel and wanted me to take a look at it. He very kindly said that he liked my ‘easy’ style of writing.

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‘Easy?’ I said, pretending to be offended. ‘Just remember – easy reading, hard writing.’