After your first audition you became more famous than anybody could possibly have anticipated. How did that affect you?
I have no idea how that happened. Honest to God. It was absolutely unbelievable if I’m being honest.

How was going to America for you?
I went to L.A., and there were great crowds waiting for us at the airport. It was quite something — nothing that a woman like me was used to. … But I found Americans to be incredibly warm and friendly and very open about how warm and friendly they are. It was quite something to be in Hollywood. It’s like stepping back in time, to another time and place with all the movie stars gracefully walking about.

The hotel I was staying in? Apparently Frank Sinatra used to take his women back there! Talk about “Strangers in the Night,” eh? And I dipped my toes into the same pool Grace Kelly had been in. This is a world I’d never seen before and never dreamt that I would get to see. Everyone was so wonderful to me, and I can’t wait to visit again.

Do you think there’s something in your story that has changed the perception of fame in Britain?
No, but I think that I have turned the ordinary woman upside down. The wee wifey with the bottle of Flash doing her cleaning? She’s gone now.

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Will you ever lose her altogether?
No I won’t. That’s what keeps me grounded: remembering that I am just that wifey. What you see is what you get. There’s no airs and graces with me.

How proud do you think your parents would be of you now?
I think they would be very proud of me. I hope they would. I’ve done a lot of wrong with my parents; there’s no one around that hasn’t, frankly. But hopefully I’ve made up for that now and they’re smiling down on me. I can feel it, sometimes.

What’s the dream now, Susan? Would you like a boyfriend?
There’s no time for that now! I’m far too busy! What a laugh. No, there was a TV company that wanted to set me up with a man. Apparently he was a nice man, but I’ve got my living to do now. I don’t mind being friendly, but no marriage plans as yet.

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How does it feel to be Susan Boyle now?
I feel very content within myself as I’m finally achieving my dream. I feel so lucky and very privileged, actually.

What is your biggest fear?
Well, everybody has fears, but mine is probably that this will all disappear. I want it to keep on going as long as possible. If it did all go away tomorrow, I know that I’ve enjoyed every moment of living the dream now.

The girl that dreamed a dream, what does she dream about now?
I dream about security. I dream about one day finding the right person and continuing to make people happy with my music. My advice to those who dare to dream is don’t give up. If I can do, it anyone else can too.