The 5-minute Interview: Kate Mosse, Author

'I'm surprised I wrote a novel that so many people wanted to read'

Mosse, 46, is a former publisher, co-founder of the Orange Prize for Fiction and author of the bestselling historical thriller 'Labyrinth', which took her 10 years to write. She published the follow-up, 'Sepulchre', last year.

If I weren't talking to you right now I'd be...

Walking the dog. We've got one for the first time in my life. It's 10 months old.

A common misperception of me is...

People think that I'm very serious. Or, of course, that I'm a glamorous supermodel.

I wish that people would take more notice of...

The position of women in developing countries.

A phrase I use far too often is...

"That's amazing", or "how odd", or "I'll just be five minutes", because I always underestimate how long things take.

The most surprising thing that happened to me was...

Spending 10 years writing a novel that so many people wanted to read. I really didn't expect that. I knew my mum would buy it, though.

I am not a politician but...

I would organise lessons about negotiations and compromise.

I'm good at...

Talking and friendship. I really like people and I keep friendships. I have people from all parts of my life.

I'm very bad at...

Time management, and I'm bad at saying "no". I always try to fit too much in.

The ideal night out is ...

A night in, sitting at home with my family, a glass of white wine and a TV dinner.

In moments of weakness I...

Go for a walk or a swim.

You know me as a writer but in another life I'd have been...

A tap-dancer. Whenever I try to learn it, it's a complete disaster.

The best age to be is...

The one you are now.

In a nutshell, my philosophy is this:

Live every day as if it's your last.

Alice-Azania Jarvis