Get to Know Author Ali Lowe
Published on 26 February 2025
Before her author talk at Castle Hill Library, writer of scandals and secrets Ali Lowe shared some secrets of her own with us.
Ali gave us her top tips for aspiring authors, she revealed the process behind how she writes her bestselling novels, and she told us about her travels to Fiji which inspired her newest novel The Private Island.
Join Ali as she speaks with author Vanessa McCausland about her brand-new thriller at Castle Hill Library on Thursday, 6 March from 6:30pm to 7:30pm.
See the interview below.
How do you stay focused during the writing process? Do you drink coffee or tea, do you write best early in the morning or late at night, do you listen to music or ambient sounds?
Ali: Strangely, I don’t find it too hard to get into the ‘zone’. I spent many years working in noisy newspaper and magazine offices with people talking and music blaring, so I don’t tend to get too distracted by those things. Coffee, however is non-negotiable. I need at least two coffees in the morning before I start writing, otherwise my brain doesn’t work. I usually sit down at my desk after I’ve dropped off the kids at school at 9am, and work through until pick-up. I’m never particularly productive in the afternoon, but I sometimes get a burst of writing energy late at night.
You have said that you grew up devouring Agatha Christie novels. What would you say to a young writer who reads your novels and admires you the same way you admired Agatha Christie?
Ali: Well that’s a lovely thought. I’d say keep reading. Reading is one of the most important things you can do if you want to write a book. All the Agatha Christie books I consumed as a child definitely left a mark on me as a child, and I can see her influence in everything I write. So yes, I’d tell any aspiring writer to read broadly and often, and to keep writing stories down.
From wealthy Sydney suburbs to private Fijian islands, setting plays a vital role in your stories. Can you talk about the process of researching the setting of The Private Island (did it include a literary pilgrimage to Fiji)? Why did you decide to locate the story on Loloma Island?
Ali: Well I had to go to Fiji and it was SO tough…. I’ve actually been to Fiji a few times now and it’s one of my happy places. I love the people and the culture and the climate. It was inevitable I would set a book there, and The Private Island is very loosely based on a resort I’ve stayed on with my husband and children. Last time we went there, I went round asking questions and writing notes. I felt like a proper detective with my notepad and pen.
The Private Island takes place among the exhilaration and frenzy of New Years Eve. The characters spend their time in the midst of a crime, rather than brainstorming and setting their New Year’s resolutions. Did you set any reading and writing New Year’s goals this year?
Ali: I didn’t set any specific New Year’s resolutions about writing, but I do always tell myself before I start a book that I will plan it this time around, rather than feel my way through. Except I never do.
A through line which connects all your novels is the way that you uncover the secrets and scandals which lie beneath the glamourous surface of these wealthy crowds. What draws you to writing about the dark underbelly of these privileged circles?
Ali: I can’t tell you – maybe a psychologist could! I think what appeals to me is that most of my characters aren’t just wealthy (because nice people can be wealthy), but they are greedy and mean, too. There’s something quite satisfying about seeing them unravel.
Tickets to Ali’s author talk cost $10 per person. For more information and to book your place, visit https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/an-evening-with-ali-lowe-tickets-1234136157469
To read Ali’s bestsellers, including The Private Island, visit one of The Hills Shire’s libraries or browse the library catalogue at www.thehills.nsw.gov.au/library