Heather Bellamy spoke with author Vicky Cosstick, about the history and effect of Belfast's 100 sectarian walls and interfaces.

Vicky: I have a very mixed background. I have a background as a journalist and as a writer. I also have background as a Change Consultant. I have a master's degree in 'How Change Happens'. That was what made me hugely interested in how these walls could come down and whether they would. I have background as an academic as well, so it was a very interesting subject to research.

Clandeboye Gardens - Cluan Place - East Belfast

I've been visiting Ireland regularly and have had a home there for 40 years. I have a great love of Ireland. I have written a number of articles about the troubles over the years and when I learned about the extent of these walls, I realised that there was no real book out there that would explain the situation. There was also no book showing that the situation around the walls is really a microcosm of the whole peace process in Northern Ireland; it's a very concrete manifestation of the way that the conflict has continued, but also the efforts to change that and work for a better Northern Ireland. The whole situation really fascinated me.

Heather: If somebody was to buy the book, what can they expect?

Vicky: What the book tries to do, is to tell the story of the walls and to tell the stories of people around the walls. I interviewed over 100 people for the book. I was very aware that I was an outsider in the situation. That was an advantage, because it gave me the opportunity to ask people questions about what was going on now. It's a book about what's happening now and I hope it's a portrait of an ongoing peace process.

People who have read the book don't see it as being written by an outsider as such. They see it as a hopeful book and I hope a helpful book. I hope that anybody who reads it will find it enjoyable, interesting and also, I hope, intelligent and well researched.

Heather: What has the response to it been?

Vicky: I've had excellent reviews in the Irish Times and English papers. If anybody likes Twitter, then I'm on Twitter and you can see a lot of material about the book on there. There's also a Facebook page, which has all the reviews. I think the response has been very good. I've been very pleased with it.

Heather: How can people buy it?

Vicky: You should be able to order it through any English bookshop. You can also get it online from the normal sources and from the Publisher, Colourpoint.