So here’s some news I never imagined sharing. I’ve been made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Some days I still can’t believe I get to be a writer: to have my books on shelves with names who change the world & how I see it. I grew up in a council house - today I’m a Fellow of the RSL. So thank you to them and the board. And thanks to my agent Clare Conville for always inspiring me and to every editor and reader who has taken a punt on my words. And thanks most of all to my Mum for showing me everybody has a story.

Congratulations to Salon alumnae Jill Dawson and Kerry Hudson, Big Scottish Book Club guests Andrew McMillan and Kate Mosse and all the Fellows named on the RSL 200th birthday announcement: Daniel Hahn, Raymond Antrobus, Chloe Aridjis, Cressida Connolly, Susan Cooper, April De Angelis, Jane Draycott, Sasha Dugdale, Yvvette Edwards, Diana Evans, Peter Frankopan, Salena Godden, Colin Grant, Kirsty Gunn, James Meek, Michael Palin, Sandeep Parmar, Winsome Pinnock, Max Porter, Sigrid Rausing, Roger Robinson, Katherine Rundell, Philippe Sands and Jack Thorn.