When I left 20th Century-Fox to freelance my agent believed that getting big money was the way to establish real importance in our industry.

I decided to start a medical training program for freelancers only freelancers. They're the ones who are doing most of the combat reporting. They're taking most of the risks. They're absorbing most of the casualties. And they're the most underserved and under-resourced of everyone in the entire news business.

As a freelance writer I'd be asked to become an expert for various magazines on any subject whether food or wine or history or the life span of veterinarians. I was completely unschooled in any of these things.

I have a fear of poverty in old age. I have this vision of myself living in a skip and eating cat food. It's because I'm freelance and I've never had a proper job. I don't have a pension and my savings are dwindling. I always thought someone would just come along and look after me.

My dad is a bank president and my mom was an accountant and they didn't think that seeking the life of a freelance writer was very practical you see. Of course I was just as determined to do it.