Susan Hill is famous for writing The Woman In Black © REX Shutterstock

Susan Hill is known for penning successful fiction and non-fiction books.

Her most famous works include The Mist In The Mirror and The Woman In Black, a ghost story that has been adapted for the stage and screen.

How do you like your tea?

I like proper leaf tea, brewed in a pot.

Who would you most like to have a cup of tea with?

The Queen. Whatever people think of the monarchy, I admire her hugely as a person.

Do you believe in ghosts?

I think I do… there are definitely places that have a haunted atmosphere.

Although lots of these stories have a rational explanation, there’s always that 1% that don’t.

What do you think of the stage version of The Woman In Black?
I’m thrilled it’s such a huge success. I had a very scary moment when I went to watch the London play from backstage.

It was pitch black and somebody tapped me on the shoulder.

It was the woman in black! She said ‘Hello, Susan’ in a very friendly way – I think she’d forgotten how terrifying she looked!

Have you kept any stories you wrote as a child?

I’m not a keeper, I’m a chucker-out. I’ve kept my daughter’s early stories, just not any of my own.

Do you follow a writing routine?

I write for a couple of hours a day. I like to write somewhere that’s out of the way and quiet.

If it’s summer, I like to be outside, and in the winter, I enjoy sitting by the woodburner.

How do you like to spend your spare time?

I read a huge amount. I used to do tapestries, too, but I never seem to have the time now!

The Soul Of Discretion: Simon Serrailler Book 8 (£18.99, Chatto & Windus) and Printer’s Devil Court (£9.99, Profile) by Susan Hill are available now.