The Ferryman guides its author to world of literary success

Claire McFall says she is astonished by how well the Chinese version of her book The Ferryman has done in China; In January nearly 1 million copies had been sold. In Scotland, the figure was about 10,000, which she regards as excellent, given how small Scotland is.

"It's incredible that the book is so popular in China, but the idea carried in the novel is universal. People love stories about love and being rewarded for being determined. So even though there seems to be much cultural difference between China and the UK, underneath it's the same."

In January McFall was in China to sign a contract giving a Chinese company film rights to the novel. The book is about the journey of a 15-year-old girl, Dylan, led by her "ferryman", Tristan, after she dies in a train accident. Dylan has to traverse a wasteland full of scary demons before can she reach the place where her soul can find rest.