John Barry Quinn

I’ve had an extraordinary life, in the way that normal people, not those once-in-a-generation talents, have extraordinary lives.

A quick look would give the impression of a more mundane existence: married, divorced, married, two kids, a change of career at 30.

But the truth is richer, involving highs and lows that you would never encounter on the scariest of fairground rides. My mum was the youngest of 13 children and I was the youngest of 8. Only in retrospect do I consider myself growing up in a poor household – everyone I knew lived in similar circumstances, similar council houses, hiding behind the sofa when the ‘loan man’ called each week. All my brothers and sisters grew up knowing that their life was down to them – no one gave you anything for free, other than a clip around the ear.

I sold my first business, bored, at the age of 28. I had no definite plans except for either a season of skiing or bumming around the US and Mexico for a few months. Then, a one paragraph advertisement in The Guardian: ‘Become a Journalist’ – yes, I was a Guardian reader then – caught my attention.

I knew these ads were normally scams, but I applied anyway and, some four months later, after bumming around the US and Mexico, found myself at Darlington College, on an NCTJ course to study broadcast journalism.

From there I climbed the grease journalism pole, starting first on the long-departed and much-loved Southampton Advertiser, a brilliant and fun free sheet. I moved through a series of papers: the weekly Basingstoke Gazette, a spell on the BT sports reporting service as a producer, then an evening paper, the Bournemouth Echo. Feeling prepared, I then set my sights on ‘Fleet Street’ and started working shifts on the Evening Standard before finding a berth for a few years on the Mail on Sunday. The paper was then in its pomp under the mercurial editor Stewart Steven – totally separate from The Daily Mail, the MoS was awash with confidence, talent and money and would take on the world to land a great exclusive. It was there I won, as part of a team, the Campaigning Journalist of the Year award.

The opportunity arose to purchase a regional news agency so I left the MoS to grab the opportunity of owning Solent News & Photo Agency. With the help of brilliant journalists, we grew the agency into the most successful in Britain. This gave me opportunities within the media, chairing the National Association of Press Agencies and becoming an initial investor in Wave 105, the south’s first regional radio station. As the agency and radio station flourished, I continued investing and advising other companies, moving outside of the media. Often more by luck than judgement I helped finance and build a number of outstanding businesses.

With the comfort blanket of financial security, I was able to start writing again, but in a more creative way. My play, The Last Talent Show, broke box office records and my radio drama, Alchemy in Three Easy Lessons, won the BMAF writing competition and was subsequently broadcast.

But it’s the novel that has been my dream and its culmination is The Reporter.