At the beginning of this year, I read a book that pretty much blew me away, Pack Up The Moon by Anna McPartlin, it was a stunning work of fiction and when I got the chance to review her latest novel The One I Love (published in Ireland as So What If I’m Broken and in the US as Alexandra, Gone) I was hoping for a similar read and I got it. I then got the chance to interview Anna, and it’s definitely one of my favourite interviews. I hope you enjoy it!

1. Tell us about your latest novel The One I Love (which was released in Ireland under the title of So What If I’m Broken and in the US under the title of Alexandra, Gone).

Alexandra Kavanagh vanishes and ‘The One I Love’ is about the people she leaves behind.

The story of a missing woman came from my preoccupation with the disappearance of little Maddie McCann. I wanted to explore the ordinary everyday lives of people who are close to or touched by an extraordinary and dreadful loss. It’s also about the strength and weakness, pain and joy that comes with being emotionally invested in family and friends.

2. Are you currently working on a new novel - I hope you say yes - can you tell us anything about it?

I’m actually currently working on a TV pilot for a paranormal investigation comedy/drama series. But as soon as the idea is pitched I’ll be researching and writing my next book. I can’t say too much because it’s early days but part of my research involves a trip to a township in Africa and volunteering in a rehabilitation hospital in Dublin. Sounds depressing but don’t worry there will be plenty of smiles along the way.

3. Where did the inspiration come from for The One I Love? It’s such an emotional novel, with fantastic characters and I was truly absorbed in the novel.

Firstly thank you so much. I am truly delighted to hear that. The original kernel of the idea came during a Jack Lukeman concert. He was singing acapella to a crowd so captivated you could hear a pin drop. It was a melancholy song and sadness swept through the room. Two seconds later his band kicked off, he launched into a high energy fun song and the crowd’s spirits lifted and soared. I was fascinated and the character of Elle was born there and then. That character was such a part of the concert experience I decided to take time and absorb myself in all Jack’s music and the other characters just flowed from his music. The reason Jack ‘s music is such a part of the book is because his music not only inspired the characters but it also set it’s emotional tone.

4. Instead of just having one or two main characters, the one I love actually has four, how did you manage to juggle them all so well and did you feel closer to one more than the others?

I tend to have multi protagonists in my work because without them the world I’m creating wouldn’t seem real to me. It would be a lot harder for me to write for two characters then it is for 4 or more. In fact my problem is cutting out characters. And no I can’t bring myself to love one character over another. I live and breathe these people, I identify with every strength and weakness every mistake and every mean or sweet thing they say. I know where it comes from and I forgive them and love them as I do myself and those I love. It sounds arty and possibly weird or a tad insane but that’s the way it is.

5. The first book I read of yours was your debut novel Pack Up The Moon, and I loved the way in which it was written. I knew immediately the book was written differently from most novels, why did you decide to write it that way?

‘Pack Up The Moon’ was written in the aftermath of a friend’s suicide. Emotionally, my friends and I were open wounds and the book reflects that. I wrote it in first person because the start of the book which details the death of John and the thoughts and prayers going through Emma’s mind was written the night after the funeral. It just felt right and real to write in first person. It is a fictional love story but it reflects the grief I’ve felt for the people I’ve lost, the power I find in friendship and joy I still find in life.

6. Your books are published in Ireland, American and the UK but the titles have been changed a number of times. Is there a reason your American and UK publishers decided your original titles weren’t what they wanted and decided to change them?

I find it difficult to keep up never mind the reader!! Each publisher names the book to suit their territory. A name and cover that works in one may not suit another. The good news is my next book which is titled ‘The Truth Will Out’ in Ireland will also be called ‘The Truth Will Out’ when it’s released in the UK in July 2011.

7. I’m not the only person who has compared your novels to Marian Keyes, what with the way they’re written and the emotional impact they leave behind, what’s it like being compared to an author who is considered to be one of the Queen’s of the Chick Lit genre?

It’s an honour to be mentioned in the same breath as Marian Keyes in fact it makes me blush a little. I would love to have even half the impact on women’s fiction that Marian has had.

8. How did your original deal with Poolbeg come around as well as your subsequent deals with Penguin your UK publisher and your US publisher, Downton Press? Will Penguin be releasing The Truth Will Out in the UK at all?

The publisher in Poolbeg saw the first draft of ‘Pack Up The Moon’ and liked it but I still had a lot of work to do so although she rejected it she gave me notes. I worked on those notes and resent it, she gave me more notes and I worked on those. The third time she wrote to me she offered me a 3 book deal. Poolbeg publishes in Ireland only so when ‘Pack Up The Moon’ went in at number 2 in Ireland all the other publishers bought rights for their countries. They’ve all bought between 3 and 5 books. And not only will Penguin be releasing ‘The Truth Will Out’ in July but they will also releasing book 5.

9. When was it that you realised you would like to be a writer? Is it something you’ve always done or did it happen later in life?

I was always a storyteller but when I was younger I didn’t have the confidence to write so I channelled that energy into acting. It turns out I wasn’t that happy as an actor. It felt very limiting so I went into stand up comedy and I enjoyed writing far more than performing so finally I dropped performing and dedicated myself to honing my writing skills.

10. If only one of your novels could be made into a film, which one would you choose and why? Have you ever thought of who would play any of your characters in film adaptations? (For the record, of your two books I’ve read I’d love to see both as films, but I think The One I Love edges it).

I totally agree with you ‘The One I Love’ is more cinematic than ‘Pack Up The Moon’ which might make a better 2 part TV comedy/drama? But a lot of people think my 2nd book released in the UK last year ‘No Way To Say Goodbye’ would make a great movie too and I can definitely visualise it as a film because it’s a dark love story between a small town Irish girl and a handsome American stranger, complicated by their sad and twisted pasts and it’s located in a small beautiful town in Kerry that becomes a character in its own right. I never really visualise actors for the roles because a good actor who looks nothing like the character I’ve created in my mind could walk into the room and embody that character so much so that he or she could change my vision of them aesthetically in a second. But I do have lots of people come up to me and say that they think that this actor or that actress would be perfect for the role and that’s always nice.

11. What kind of a writer are you, do you wing it or do you plan a novel out before you write it?

I think of a story concept or theme like for example ‘The One I Love’s’ notion of a missing woman and those she’s left behind. Then I think of a character I’d like to explore I write that character then I write the kinds of characters that would realistically inhabit his or her world and from those characters comes the story.

12. When you’re not writing your own books, what books do you like reading yourself?

I used to inhale books. I read everything and everyone but since I’ve been writing a book a year and TV I’ve had to limit my reading because it’s impossible for me to read someone else’s work while writing. But right now I am caught up with the whole Steig Larsson phenomenon. I read the first book when I was in Thailand recently and now I’m hoping to read the second when I’ve wrapped up the pilot and on my flight out to South Africa in two weeks time.

13. If you weren’t an author, what would you be doing instead?

I’d probably still be doing what I was doing when I finally signed my publishing deal. I’d be a claims examiner. A job I really loved believe it or not.

14. Finally, what advice would you give to wannabe writers?

I’ll say what I always say.

1. Just because it’s on the page doesn’t mean it should stay there. If it’s not working delete and start again.
2. Don’t allow criticism to paralyse you. If it makes sense learn from it and use it and if it doesn’t let it go.
3. Never give up.

Thanks Anna!

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