When I was at school I didn't say very much, but wrote copiously. My ambitions were to be editor of the Times, a rock 'n' roll music journalist or on Top of the Pops. I felt like if you weren't loud you were ignored, but my year 9 English teacher, Mr Hodgkins, noticed that I did have things to say. He once said he knew that I was 'no shrinking violet' so I decided to be a 'Shrieking Violet'. ... more