You learn a lot, writing fiction.
The present hardly exists, after all-it becomes the past even as it happens. A tricky medium, time - and central to the concerns of fiction.
I do like to embed a fictional character firmly in an occupation.
I'm writing another novel and I know what I'm going to do after, which may be something more like this again, maybe some strange mixture of fiction and non-fiction.
the days of our lives vanish utterly, more insubstantial than if they had been invented. Fiction can seem more enduring than reality.
I rather like getting away from fiction.