now on bbc news, influential with katty kay: ken follett. follett is one of the most successful fiction writers in the world. his books have sold almost 200 million copies. we met ken at his house in the english countryside. hi, katty. ken, it's so good to see you. how are you? i'm very well. thank you. thank you for doing this. pleasure. and for inviting me to your lovely home. it is nice. finally. i've been meaning to come many times, but now i've finally made it here. well, you've always had an open invitation. you're very sweet. i was thinking, actually, on my way up, that i have known you since i was 16 years old. were you really 16? i was, once upon a time, 16! i know that is hard to believe. but, yes, since i was at school with emanuele, your son. all of these books are by me. this is fantastic. how many? run through. give me the catalogue. well, there are 37 books, but of course, these are all the different translations and editions. and as you can see, it starts with eye of the needle. in german, that was die nadel. and comes up all

follett, this is your life moment-— follett, this is your life moment. , , moment. yes, that's me.t. yes, that's me. they must be six there, i _ moment. yes, that's me. they must be six there, i think. - must be six there, i think. this is you right here, your mum and your dad and your... my sister hannah. your sister hannah. and this is in wales we grow? it hannah. and this is in wales we crow? , , , , grow? it is in definitely, yes, live there _ grow? it is in definitely, yes, live there until— grow? it is in definitely, yes, live there until over - grow? it is in definitely, yes, live there until over ten - grow? it is in definitely, yes, | live there until over ten years old. so that is definitely where that is. your family was very religious.— very religious. deftly, extremely _ very religious. deftly, extremely religious. i very religious. deftly, - extremely religious. middle class? yes. _ extremely religious. middle class? yes, basically. - extremely religious. middle class? yes, basically. they| class? yes, basically. they didn't have much money at that point, but basicall

"i'm ken follett. what do they know?"at can i learn?" yeah, absolutely. "i'll take that back." 0h, absolutely, yes, yes. and then in the middle, this is the second draft. but what i would be doing is writing this second draft. and i key it. i don't take this and edit it and make marks on it. i take a blank sheet of paper in the middle, and then i start writing the whole book again. which must take longer than going over the first draft and just editing it? absolutely. well, it takes a full year. so, planning is a year, first draft is a year, second draft is a year. it sounds as if it's a chore that might not be essential, you know. and sometimes my publishers want to publish the first draft, but that's because their standards aren't as high as mine. and generally, after reading the second draft, they say, "i see what you mean." and you think by writing the second draft from scratch, you always end up with a better product? 0h, definitely. no question. i'm totally convinced of that. do you ever... ..get angsted about writi

now on bbc news — influential with katty kay: ken follett.e sold almost 200 million copies. we met ken at his house in the english countryside. hi, katty. ken, it's so good to see you.

now on bbc news, influential with katty kay: ken follett.

ken follett is one of the most successful fiction writers in the world.lish countryside. hi, katty. ken, it's so good to see you. how are you? i'm very well. thank you. thank you for doing this. pleasure. and for inviting me to your lovely home. it is nice. finally. i've been meaning to come many times, but now i've finally made it here. well, you've always had an open invitation. you're very sweet. i was thinking, actually, on my way up, that i have known you since i was 16 years old. were you really 16? i was, once upon a time, 16! i know that is hard to believe. but, yes, since i was at school with emanuele, your son. all of these books are by me. this is fantastic. how many? run through. give me the catalogue. well, there are 37 books, but of course, these are all the different translations and editions.

ken follett is one of the most successful fiction writers in the world.t is omos good derma good to see you. how are you? i am very well. thank you for doing this and inviting me to your lovely home. i have been meaning to come many times but now i find i'm here. you have i at an open invitation. you are very sweet. i was thinking on my way up that i have known you since i was 16 years old. where you really 16? was 16 years old. where you really16? i was 16 years old. where you really 16? i was once upon a time 16. that is hard to believe but, yes, i was at school with your son. all of these books

as vivek ramaswamy in new hampshire, former president trump spoke with young republicans alec la follette going to stay could testify in a civil fraud trial tomorrow. >> they will conduct pandora's box my only fingers be careful what you wish for, what you've done is a terrible thing. when the president leaves. >> trump spoke about promising poll numbers. the "wall street journal" released a survey showing trump ahead four percentage points over president biden, 47%, 43% in a direct matter. senator mitt romney waited on the leading gop candidate. >> the campaign based on anger and hate may when at the ballot box temporarily but there's the country apart. the other day former president said we had greater threat for what is within. i think i was in some respect, so-called because what's within if we become elected president again, it is a campaign of retribution and anger and hate. >> out of the same.we can talk about, nikki haley current remarkable 17-point lead and hypothetical matchup with president biden. in order to secure the nomination, haley but make strides, to get talk to former