Writing fiction is the form of art in which you put yourself on the line most. Musicians hide behind an instrument; songwriters can always say it was just bants*, Eminem being an example of such verbal contortion. An artist’s work is open to interpretation. Journalists report facts, or a version of them. Poets give us a slice of life, but it's only a slice. Even stand-ups can hide behind the need to be funny. But when you write a story, and particularly if you are arrogant**