Biography

Born in Yorkshire, I graduated from Liverpool University with an honours degree in English Literature and Film Studies. In 1993, at the age of twenty-three, I moved to London to be the editor of a puzzle magazine. Yes, puzzles! For someone who can never get that last crossword clue, it was pretty daunting, but it was my first break into the world of magazines and publishing, and I loved it. (And it turned out my job was making up the clues, not solving them – phew!)

In my spare time I was always writing articles and trying to get them published, until finally my persistence paid off. For the next five years I saw my features published in many of the big name British glossies – ELLE, Company, She, Red, More!, Here and Cosmopolitan, before travelling to Sydney, Australia, where I spent six months working for Australian Vogue and Cleo magazine.

However, for many years a dream of mine had been to write a novel and, in 1999, I finally took the plunge. Every lunchtime and spare weekend was spent working on my novel, What’s New, Pussycat? until finally I’d written three chapters, which I sent to several agents. I was so nervous waiting for their responses that I tried to forget all about it by going on holiday to Los Angeles to visit my sister. This was in the days before email, and so I couldn’t believe it when I returned home, checked my answering machine and discovered messages from several interested agents. The word 'excitement' doesn't even come close.

In the end I signed with my fabulous agent, Stephanie Cabot. She loved what I’d written so far, loved the character of Delilah, a girl from Yorkshire who moves to London with just her Tom Jones collection and her dog, and was eager to read the rest of the novel.
Now, all I had to do was write it!

So I took a gamble. I resigned from my job, sold my car, and gave myself a deadline of six months (which was when the proceeds from my car would run out). Within days of handing in the finished manuscript, a bidding war broke out between several interested publishers and I ended up signing a two-book deal. What’s New, Pussycat? was published in April 2000 and immediately made the bestseller lists. Proof that dreams really can come true.    

To date I’ve written nine romantic comedy novels and am currently working on my tenth. During these past thirteen years, I’ve sold the film rights to What’s New, Pussycat? You're The One I don't Want and Calling Romeo, seen my books translated and published all over the world, including Germany, France, Spain, Poland, Russia, Greece, Serbia, Czech Republic, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Thailand China and Indonesia, appeared at the LA Book Festival, and been interviewed for the BBC, Channel 4’s Big Breakfast, ITVs Calendar, and in the US, ABC’s Nightline.

I was delighted when my fourth novel, Do You Come Here Often, was made book of the month, by Woman’s Day in Australia, and in May 2008 I was thrilled to win the Best New Fiction award for Me and Mr Darcy, at the Jane Austen Regency World Awards. 

Aside from novels, I’ve also contribued a short story - No Strings Attached - which was published in an anthology entitled Girl’s Night In in aid of the international charity: WarChild. In 2011 I also wrote Me and Mr Darcy Again, for Jane Austen Made Me Do It, a Jane Austen anthology which was published in both the UK and USA. I also made my foray into radio when my short story It's A Guy Thing was broadcast on BBC Radio 4.

My last book, You're The One That I Don't Want (it was published in the US under the title, You're (Not) The One) came out in 2010 to rave reviews and made the bestseller lists straight away, thanks to my wonderful readers. But the most exciting news of all is my new book, Don't You Forget About Me, is out this month!!

In the meantime, I'm hard at work writing my new book - this is going to be number ten! I still can't quite believe it...

My Writing Day

I’m often asked about my writing day and I understand the curiosity. I too find it fascinating to read about other authors and how they just sit down, turn on their computer and fire off 5000 words before lunchtime. Then take the rest of the day off.

Oh, if it only was so easy for me!
My writing day usually goes something like this…

Make coffee, check emails, go on the internet: read all the papers online, my horoscope, ichat my mum, call my fellow writer-friend to brainstorm, make more coffee, have lunch…
No, but seriously –
Actually, I am being serious.
Every day I go through this ritual. Only once I’ve exhausted every single possible excuse for procrastination, do I finally start writing.
Writers are experts at procrastination. For me, it’s mostly down to fear – the fear that I won’t be able to think of a single funny thing to write and I’m going to spend hours staring at a flashing cursor, my mind as blank as the screen in front of me.
I’ve written seven books and trust me, I still have those days.

So this is what I’ve learned:
Inspiration does not strike in the Zara changing rooms.
You’re bottom does not leave that chair until you’ve written something.
And a lot of somethings, eventually, make a novel.

What's next?

My big news is that my latest book, Don't You Forget About Me, is being published on July 19th in the UK. This new book took two years to write, so it's going to be great to finally see it in the book shops.

As I mentioned in my welcome letter, I've also started the new book, which is going to be the first in series. I don't want to give too much away at this point, but hopefully you're going to love the new heroine and her adventures. The one thing I will tell you is that this new book is set in India where I spent an amazing month earlier this year on a research trip. I have to go back. It was simply magical.

I've been doing a lot of travelling for work. I did a book tour Serbia back in 2010, which was really amazing. I want to thank everyone in Belgrade who came to my book signings. It was great meeting you all!

Later this year I'm planning to do a book tour in Prague, so check out my Facebook page to hear more news of that and the exact dates.
You can find me here.

Contact me

I'd love to hear from you, please feel free to email me at, hello@alexandrapotter.com.
I'll try get back to you as soon as possible, but I'm super busy writing the new book, so please be patient!

You can also find me on my official Facebook page which I update most days, so you can find out what I'm up to and also post comments and photos.


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