"I had to lie through my teeth, which isn't much fun. My lying is really good now, when you say 'genuinely' people believe it."

SINGER SAM SMITH, who had to keep his theme song for the new James Bond film Spectre a secret

"I don't feel responsible. The role of a novel is to entertain readers, and fear is one of the most entertaining things there is."

UK WRITER MICHEL HOUELLEBECQ, who has been called irresponsible for imagining an Islamist-ruled France in his new book, Submission

"The best thing about being 35 is not being 36."

SINGER JESSICA SIMPSON on getting older