Ms. Steel left the job in 1991, following Sony's purchase of the studio.

He received some advice from Ms. Steel and his literary agent.

Ms. Steel was president of Columbia from 1987 until early this year.

"It's just unfair to make judgments about people after 15 months or two years," Ms. Steel said.

Does Ms. Steel offer some special insight into our era?

"It's like day and night working on the case, more or less," Ms. Steel said.

Ms. Steel was referring to the last time she was responsible for raising a child.

Does Ms. Steel know what makes a best seller?

"Believe me, no one set out to make a picture about a working woman being crazy," said Ms. Steel, now an independent producer.

Ms. Steel is expected to set up her own production company at another major studio.