Ali McNamara

Ali McNamara is the author of ‘From Notting Hill with Love…Actually, released in 2010. We were excited to be having a chat with Ali. We asked her who she’d have over for dinner and about her route to publication.

What was your route to publication & did you always wanted to be a writer?

I first began writing  when myself and a fellow fan began writing a story on singer, Ronan Keating’s message board, the story became so popular the website would sometimes crash because there were so many people trying to log on to read it. Such was its popularity we eventually sold the story for charity, and I went on to write a further two more stories to raise money for Ronan’s cancer awareness charity -The Marie Keating Foundation. It was after that I thought I should have a go at writing a ‘proper’ novel!

From Notting Hill with Love…Actually was the third full length novel I wrote after the stories on Ronan’s website. So I’ve had my fair share of rejections like most other authors, but for some reason I just kept going with this book even though like the other two the pile of rejection letters was starting to get higher and higher, but I just had faith in my story and knew that one day someone would love it just as much as me and want to publish it, and luckily I was right!

Where do you find inspiration for your novels?

‘From Notting Hill with Love…Actually’ came to me when I was watching one of those countdowns on the music channels – ‘100 greatest Movie theme tunes.’

As each of the songs came on to the screen I realised the movies were so well known I knew exactly what was happening even without dialogue, and I thought wouldn’t it be wonderful if I could get all those great movies into one story, and that’s how the idea began to take shape. And I got the idea for my next novel ‘Breakfast at Darcy’s’ from a conversation I had with my husband when we were on holiday in Ireland about the difficulties in living on a remote island if you were to buy one, or in my main character Darcy’s case, inherit one!

Describe your typical writing day.

I think it would be very difficult to treat writing as a clock-in clock-off type of job. Your story and your characters become such a part of you when you’re working on a novel that you carry them with you all the time whether you’re ‘officially’ in writing mode or not. So no two days are ever the same.

What’s your debut novel, From Notting Hill with Love…Actually about?

It’s about Scarlett who adores the movies, but her fiancé and family think she’s a bit too obsessed by them. So when Scarlett gets the chance to house-sit a grand mansion in Notting Hill, the setting of one of her all time favourite movies she grabs the opportunity to try and live out her film fantasies one last time.

Do you plan/research much before beginning a new project?

How much research I do will depend on what the book is about, but I’m definitely a planner. I quite often find my characters dictating what they want to happen in the story as I write, so I find its best not to be too rigid about that original plan!

Best/Worst thing about being a writer?

Worst: Sitting still so much, definitely. I used to be a fitness instructor so I was very active all day. Writing involves too much sitting down at a desk – not good for the fitness levels or the figure!
Best: To begin; it’s when you finally get that call. Then it’s seeing your words finally changing into a real book. And finally it’s hearing from your readers how much they’ve loved reading your story!

Is there an author you especially admire?

Not an author but a writer/producer – Richard Curtis.

Is there a character from fiction that you’d like to meet?

When I was younger I’d have liked to have been the sixth member of the Famous Five! But now it’s a cliché but I’m going to say Mr Darcy from Pride & Prejudice!

Who would be your ideal dinner guests?

I’ve made it an even ten guests!

Richard Curtis – for the reason above

Hugh Grant – if you read my novel & you’ll know why!

Colin Firth– if you read my novel & you’ll know why!

Jonathan Ross – find him entertaining & funny.

Robert Kazinsky – I’d love him to play Sean from FNHWLA if it were made into a movie.

Ronan Keating – he might sing for us!

Marian Keyes – funny & a great writer

Victoria Wood – funny lady

Dawn French – funny lady

Me!

Any tips for new writers?

Never give up! If this is what you really want to do and you genuinely believe your novel is as good as or even better than what’s already out there on the bookshelves, then keep going.  Listen to the feedback to get along the way, take it on board, be brutally honest with yourself and then alter your manuscript if you think it’s valid (they’re not always right.) Then just keep trying…because one day it might just happen.

It did to me.

For more information on Ali, visit her website.

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Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.