Alexander!
This post is being re-published for Alphabe- Thursday letter ‘A’. I have waited over 26 weeks for the letter to come round again so that I can share this wonderful experience I had with a very lovely man.
Please remember to visit Jenny Matlock’s blog to read the other ‘A’ posts!
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As those of you who follow my blog you will know I’m an avid fan of Alexander McCall Smith! You’ll also know that I am given to the odd bout of cheekiness. Well put those two together & you have an invite via twitter to meet the great man at his home during our recent visit to Edinburgh!
I was not expecting a return tweet let alone a conversation. I had just mentioned that we going to be in Edinburgh & where was he! When the details of the meeting came through my husband was nervous on my behalf that it would all end in tears; that AMS would turn out to be a pompous author only interested in self promotion.
As it turned out it was nothing like that at all! We were warmly welcomed by his PA Lesley & the welcome we got from AMS was just as friendly. He was very interested in us & about where we had been & recommended places we should not miss, his love of Scotland shining through. He has a wonderful highland lilt to his voice & everything about him is gentle. The first ten minutes of our precious twenty minute slot was spent with the two men chatting. As true reporter I had some questions for him & was not best pleased that time was being taken up by my husband who had not read any of his books!
The man & his work
I asked him how long he had been a serious writer. He explained that he had always written children’s books & short stories but it was when they were published & he could see that a reasonable living could be made from writing that he had to make a choice. He was not going to be able to be a good writer & do his job a professor of medical law at Edinburgh University. Thankfully he choose writing!
I was interested to know how he had come to write such varied series as No.1 Ladies Detective Agency set in Botswana, Scotland Street & The Sunday Philosophy Club both set in Edinburgh then the Two & Half Pillars of Wisdom with the German Professor von Igelfield. AMS explained that he has seeds of ideas as well as voices he likes to explore. With those set in Edinburgh he was keen to explore a particular type of woman similar in character to Miss Jean Brody & so he created Isobel Dalhousie. An interest in the position of Poles during the war, as well as a desire to write about countryside, brought about ‘La’s Orchestra’ .
Copies of some of the foreign translations
We digressed into a discussion about the film & TV versions of ‘No.1 Ladies’ & AMS told us about meeting the cast & director in Botswana, a place dear to his heart & how pleased he was with the final products.
My next question was for those of us who want to take our writing further. What 3 tips would he give? Firstly (& adamantly!) he said that one must persist. Persist with the writing & then persist to get it published. Sadly, nowadays there are few new writers coming through so you must keep going.
The next piece of advice was to be realistic. Look at the genre you are using & see how popular it is & where the readership will come from.
Finally, AMS advice is to write about what you know. It is so much more vibrant than writing about something you have researched but do not have a passion about.
The whole experience had been wonderful & so relaxed. Our arranged slot of 20 minutes had been extended & photos were taken to record the meeting. We were offered some books, all of which he signed, & as we left he asked if we’d like to see the garden. This is ‘Isobel’s garden’ (from the Sunday Philosophy Club together with Brother Fox) although in the books it is larger than the real one. We finally said goodbye as the hour came up!
Proof I was there!
My husband’s description as he recounts our visit to all his friends has been that it was an up-lifting experience. To meet someone so famous & so busy who had time for us, a couple they didn’t know was truly amazing.
Whether you are an established fan or a new convert, please have a look at the Alexander McCall Smith website. If you do not know what he has written (including his many academic texts) the list can be found here!
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You are my hero.
I love that you go after what you want, Miss Julia!
How gracious of him to allow you to visit..and what a memorable experience.
You look so pretty and happy in that picture!
Hooray for you!
Sounds like an amazing afternoon. Thanks for sharing it with us.
A+
beautiful tribe.
🙂
Lucky you, that must have been pretty mind blowing to meet someone who you hold in such esteem, a moment that will stay with you forever.
That is so awesome! And a great photo-proof of your time there :o) And great to hear that he was open to spend time with those that are fans of his work…I will love to check out his stories.
Blessings & Aloha!
A visit to store away and treasure – you will be thinking about that time quite a bit! And what a treat to stand in his library – one of the most revealing rooms in a home…all those books – oh my!
Nice “A” post describing your meeting with AMS. I’m more surprised perhaps that he would agree to meet with you after a round of Tweets than that he is unpretentious and witty. I don’t think the characters in The First Lady Detective series could have been so charming if he was anything less himself.
What a neat experience. I enjoy his books, too.
=)
What fun!
I love his books and it certainly is a treat to meet the man behind them.
How incredible that he made so much time for you! I’m so pleased he didn’t disappoint! I’m sure it will be a memory you cherish!
What a wonderful opportunity and you seemed to have taken full advantage of it. Great post.
What a wonderful experience! A memory to treasure fo always! I love his book lined walls!
This was such a wonderful opportunity. I love his advice!
How exciting for you to meet him and get autographed books as well. Lucky girl!~Ames
that’s pretty cool! congratulations!
Oh, I just LOVE him! He writes such FEEL GOOD books!!!!
This is one of those once in a life time things you will never forget…I am so happy for you and I don’t even know you!
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I’ve not read his books but I absolutely loved the series on TV of the No 1 Ladies..
Fabulous story & experience 🙂
Sounds lovely on all accounts, but I’m ashamed to say I’ve not read any of his books. Must look in to them next time I’m at the library.
Oh wow. How amazing. I am a huge fan too, Brilliant post, loved every word particularly his tips for writers.
Is that drool that I see on your mouth?! Seriously, you are so lucky. I’ve heard AMS speak at a local literature festival and hung on his every word, even my husband (who likewise hasn’t read any of his books!) thoroughly enjoyed it. AMS is so creative and I look forward to every new book. Bring on the latest Bertie book!
What a lovely man. And a lovely interview by you. I am so jealous of his book lined shelves – it’s even got one of those ladders you can whizz about on. Wow. How lovely that he turned out to be nice and generous with his time.
I’ve met a couple – Sebastian Faulks, Jeffrey Archer (ahem) Helen Fielding – Bridget Jones author, and a few others. I was starstruck with Faulks.
How brilliant is that. I haven’t read his books yet, but it’s on the to-do list! I have met a couple of famous authors actually. I once introduced Penny Vincenzi for a publicity luncheon in Brisbane. I was the witty warm up act! ;-p And I have known a number of author lesser known authors too. Hopefully one day I’ll get the books published and then I can say I know myself so I know a ‘famous’ author!!
How lovely that he should take you up on your tweet! So reassuring for you, as a fan, to know he was more than you’d hoped he’d be.
When I was younger my mum was a big fan of Catherine Cookson. They corresponded for a while and we were invited to her home for tea. I still have copies of the books she signed for me.
My son used to be a book reviewer for Red House books. We were invited to a lunch with all the other children and their families where the speakers were Michael Morpurgo and Philip Ardach. Both very witty, charming men.
Maybe it’s something about authors that they should be such warm and generous ‘celebrities’?
I knew he’d be nice becasue I couldn’t imagine him writing as he does if he wasn’t!
Thanks for sharing your ‘author’ story.
You lucky lady! He sounds like such a down to earth sort of chap. I have read a couple of the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency, but must seek out some of his other work sometime.
You must read Scotland Street. Really good series but then I’m biased!
What a cool guy. Lovely experience for you (and him) XXX
Aww thank you! It was brill! Thank you so much for popping in!
Fantastic! How lucky you were! I’ve read some of The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency and have just discovered the Scotland Street stories which I am really enjoying. How fabulous to meet him in person in such an intimate setting rather than at a book signing! Twitter is a powerful thing!!
I always like to see where writers work, it looks very comfy!
It was & it was great to hear that he uses his house as one of his character’s houses.
WooHoo! Amazing! I love his Bostwana books (less the Edinburg ones). I’ m so glad you tell us he’s a nice person in real life. It ‘s so disappointing when a writer seems morally sound and then you find out they don’t mean a word of it… So who will you do next?
He is just as you would imagine him – gentle kind & funny!
Sounds like a lovely man and a lovely day. And you look so very happy as well.
Glad to see his desk was not too tidy.
The other room was a complete mess!
Wow good for you .
Wasn’t I lucky! Thanks for coming to share with me!