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I didn't realize it. It looks like my career happened overnight, but it didn't. I was basically living on my own from when I was 17 on.

I quit my job in the bank when I was 19. I took a chance. I went to Milan to study opera and singing. My father really supported me economically.

At 19, I was in the streets making money. I was surviving.

I had a nutty career. I was living in New York. Then I got to an age where my friends and sister were having children, and I started to think I needed to orient myself towards a world where it could happen.

There were times, sure, I wanted my career to go better. But once it starts to go downhill, you can never get back, or only to some degree.

My 20s were a lost decade. I didn't do much of anything.

My career has been a bit strange. I don't think it took the normal route.

When I first decided I was going to have a go at writing a book - and really, it was a mid-life crisis - I was 39. I was in business with my husband; we had a very busy lifestyle and quite a hectic schedule running this flourishing business in travel, and I found myself waking up and realising that I didn't want to do this anymore.

For me, my 20s were all about reaching for the brass ring of work in theater, television, and film, surviving in between by waiting tables, painting houses, serving coffee, and temping.