Acclaimed Irish novelist and screenwriter John Banville discusses his new book, Venetian Vespers, blending gothic and erotic themes. He shares the challenges of writing sex scenes, recalling a notorious award he was nominated for. Banville emphasizes the need for emotional dispassion in writing and reflects on aging, noting how his concentration has changed. He describes his unique writing process, mixing longhand and typing, while pondering the detachment he feels from his finished works. Finally, he whimsically labels his planned autobiography as a 'novelistic pack of lies.'
