Film vs. Book meets Author Ali McNamara

The fabulously witty Ali McNamara has had big success recently with her debut novel From Notting Hill with Love ... Actually and it certainly is not the last we will see of this talented film buff-come-author.
But where did it all begin? Is she a Mark Darcy or Daniel Cleaver fan? And what can we expect from Ali in the future... The lady herself reveals all.
Enjoy.


LE x

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Who’s your favourite writer?

My two favourite writers are actually script writers rather than authors. Richard Curtis (Four Weddings, Notting Hill, Love Actually) & Nora Ephron (When Harry met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail) both who wrote and directed some of my favourite romantic comedies of all time.

What’s your favourite film ever made?

‘When Harry Met Sally’ I love the sharp witty dialogue between the two leading characters.

Who is your favourite leading man (Is it Hugh Grant?)?

I’ve recently discovered the gorgeous Mr Bradley Cooper – and no else gets a look in right now ;-)

Here's a little treat for the Bradley Cooper fan club - LE x

Now for some quick fire questions:

Notting Hill/Love Actually?:
Notting Hill

Dream man - Mark Darcy/Daniel Cleaver?
Mark Darcy: “Nice boys don’t kiss like that...” “Oh yes they ****** do!” ;-)

 

Best friend - Bridget Jones/Shaz?:
Bridget Jones

Best leading lady - Julia Roberts/Meg Ryan?:
Julia Roberts

Black and White / Colour films?:
Colour in general, but I do love the odd classic black and white movie like ‘Brief Encounter’.

How did you get into writing?
My route in getting published (I began by writing stories on Ronan Keating’s website which were then sold as a fundraising project for his cancer charity) is not your usual story of becoming a published novelist. My story was more a ‘happy accident’ I didn’t set out to become a writer. But once I discovered that people were enjoying what I wrote I wanted to keep writing, and that’s when I began writing full-length novels. But it was still a long hard journey to get my first novel ‘From Notting Hill with Love... Actually’ published.

What’s on the horizon for you?

My new novel out November this year –‘Breakfast at Darcy’s’

When Darcy McCall loses her beloved Aunt Molly, she doesn't expect any sort of inheritance - let alone a small island! Located off the west coast of Ireland, Tara hasn't been lived on for years, but according to Molly's will Darcy must stay there for twelve months in order to fully inherit. It's a big shock. And she's even more shocked to hear she needs to persuade a village full of people to settle there, too. Darcy must leave behind her independent city life and swap stylish heels for muddy wellies. Between sorting everything from the plumbing to the pub, she meets confident, charming Conor and sensible, stubborn Dermot - but who will make her feel really at home?

And then it’s my third novel, out 2012 which I’m just beginning to research and write now. So as you can see it never stops. But I love it and wouldn’t change it for the world!

From Notting Hill with Love... Actually by Ali McNamara

What better book could I find to review on here than one about a 20-something woman obsessed with films? I think I'd struggle.... actually.

Scarlett is bored of life with her fiance David. He is reliable and he loves her. But he refuses to spend more money than absolutely necessary and insists on doing the refurb on their new house all himself (and bugging her with all the details). Scarlett wants the romance, the big declarations of love, the happy film ending. But her friends and family are insisting she leave the films alone and wake up to reality.... but can she have the film ending in her real life? Or is that just a silly dream?

Scarlett's decision to get away and clear her head for a month by house-sitting in Notting Hill brings all sorts of comedy and drama to her mundane and oh-so-normal life in brilliantly witty ways. The film references are never-ending from Notting Hill to Brief Encounter via Sleepless in Seattle. She meets the fabulously camp Oscar when he accidentally spills orange juice down her top (Notting Hill for those who don't know) and even has two guys fight over her in a fountain (Bridget Jones). 

Her mission to prove her family and friends wrong and find film moments in her everyday life leads her to people she didn't expect to meet and even a quest for her mother who left her and her dad when she was only a baby. 

This is a brilliant and heartwarming debut from McNamara and well worth a read for any film buff who has wished she had a little more Mark Darcy (or perhaps a little bit of Daniel Cleaver) in her life. There's even a film quiz at the end of the book!

Enjoy.


LE xxx


Rating: 4 out of 5 FOBLES