It's been a strange day here in Manchester. Bright and summery with most of it passed at my desk in the top floor of an office block in the city centre.

Today would have been Delia Derbyshire's 80th birthday.

I have a new novel out. It’s called The Night Visitors and is co-written with Jenn Ashworth and published by Dead Ink.

When my daughter was tiny, for about six months, I used to give her a bath every single night (parenthood makes you superstitious about routines) and as I did so I'd always sing 'One of Us Cannot Be Wrong', the final track from Leonard Cohen's first record.

On my lunch break today I stopped by Manchester Central Library to look at the design plans for the St Michael’s development, essentially a pair of enormous skyscrapers whose proposed construction is being led by Manchester City Council in partnership with ex-footballer Gary Neville.