Patricia Cornwell, novelist: Imagination saved me

“I escaped into my imagination. That is what I did from the earliest time that I can remember. I was writing stories, and when the world was too difficult, I would just make up one of my own and I would spend my time there. That was a power that I developed out of survival instinct, but it's also made it possible for me to spend so much time alone writing books.”

Jamie Coomarasamy speaks to Patricia Cornwell, one of the world’s best-selling crime writers, whose books have sold more than 120 million copies worldwide.

She reflects on a childhood marked by trauma, instability and family mental illness, and the lasting impact those experiences have had on her life.

Her imagination became a refuge during difficult years, shaping the stories and characters she would later create.

The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews coming from the BBC, including episodes with Google CEO Sundar Pichai and and author Sir Salman Rushdie.

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Presenter: Jamie Coomarasamy

Producer: Osman Iqbal

Editor: Damon Rose

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(Image: Patricia Cornwell. Credit: Getty)