to people who were showing signs they were next year tony will have to slow down a little but he is aiming to be back fund—raising in 2025. kate mossen appointed cbe. i spoke her earlier. it's very funny, like listening to everyone else, when you get the letter you don't quite believe it because it looks like a very humble letter. you were not impressed? well, the thing is mine had been opened somewhere along the line and stuck down with sellotape, so it was just very funny and i didn't have my glasses on and i thought, "what is this?" and my first feeling — it's daft — was "i wish my mum was here, and my dad," i think many people feel that as we all get older. aw. but actually i was thrilled because it really matters to celebrate the arts, it really matters to celebrate books. and i am a writer, you know, and to be in the same batch as the great gilly cooper, how wonderful! but there were so many extraordinary people on the list this year, judith weir, she's so impressive, three of the lionesses, the extraordinary maggie aderin—pocock, so many extraordinary people, but for this, more people engage with books as an art form, if you