Q&A with Ash London

We chat with the fabulous Ash London, author of Love on the Air.

A&U: Hey Ash! Thanks so much for chatting with us. First up, could you tell us a little bit about your fabulous debut novel, Love on the Air?

AL: It is a love letter to radio, where I spent 10 years as a radio host!  A love story set amongst a backdrop of celebrities, international destinations and fabulous parties. It centres around a gal called Alex York who gets a second chance at love AND a second chance at her dream career. 

A&U: What inspired you to write Love on the Air?

AL: I left my radio career and had a baby a week later.  It was a BIG shift, and I found myself at home doing lots of reminiscing.  Everyone had always told me that my life sounded like a book, so I turned it into one (with some creative liberties taken of course).

A&U: Alex York is such a strong, witty protagonist—how much of her is based on you? 

AL: Reformed compulsive shopper? Tick. Single minded career gal? Tick. Spent too long yearning for an ex-boyfriend who sucked? Tick! Fell in love with a guy at work? Tick!

A&U: Enemies-to-lovers and workplace romance are both fan-favourite tropes. What drew you to this dynamic? 

AL: I may or may not have married my boss. Ha! I actually really wanted to turn the ‘workplace romance’ dynamic on its head a little bit – because in this story it really shows Alex as someone who stands in her own power and authority. The MMC might technically be her boss, but it’s clear that she calls the shots.  

A&U:  If Love on the Air were turned into a movie or TV show, who would you cast as Alex and her love interest? 

AL: I LOVE THIS QUESTION!  Alex is feisty, brunette…maybe Jenna Ortega? Or dare I say…Daisy Edgar Jones.  Which would mean we’d have to cast Paul Mescal as Leo.  Which doesn’t entirely fit, so for Leo let’s go…Theo James.  So, I can meet him on set to go over lines etc etc.   

A&U: Did you include any fun Easter eggs or insider moments from your real-life radio career?  

AL: I once flew to Paris for a ten-minute interview with Taylor Swift – and a version of this is reflected within the book.  Alex’s sidekick Tom is actually based on a real human…called Tom…who is possibly even funnier and more fabulous in real life.  He was the first person outside the A&U girls to read the book and signed off on everything on the proviso that he gets to play himself in the screen adaptation.  

A&U: How does writing a book compare to writing for radio or podcasting? 

AL: Honestly?  If I could write books for the rest of my life I would.  After years and years spent in NOISE surrounded by PEOPLE and having to be the energy in the room always, it was just so nice to work in silence. To sit alone with my thoughts and take the time to really draw the story out.  Radio is all about immediacy.  Publishing is…not. As you all know!  I can honestly say I loved every second of the year it took to write this book.  Even the editing. I loved it all.

A&U: Are there any side characters in your book that surprised you while you were writing them? (We in particular loved Alex’s Aunt and Uncle! They were such a great cheer squad for Alex!) 

AL: May and Billy are actually the real names of my Aunt and Uncle who I moved in with after I got dumped.  I purposely made Uncle Billy a chef because the real Billy would starve if left alone in a supermarket. The man cannot boil water!  It was so fun keeping their essence (cheeky, endlessly supportive, polar opposites but still so very much in love) but turning them into fictional characters. 

A&U: Are there any deleted scenes or moments from the book that didn’t make the final cut? 

AL: Yes!  A sex scene, which only my best friend Claudia read.  It happened earlier on in the book (in Leo’s hotel room, for those playing along at home) but ultimately, I felt like he wouldn’t have had sex with Alex at that point in the story, and instead I turned the scene into something that was still very vulnerable and felt truer to the characters. I also knew that given the characters’ similarities to my husband and I friends would imagine US having sex when reading the passage and I wasn’t ready for that.

A&U: What’s your favorite rom-com (book, movie, or TV show) and why? 

AL: I COULD NEVER ANSWER THIS!!!! JUST ONE?  I love anything written by Emily Henry.  Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld.  Persuasion by Jane Austen. The BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. The Holiday. You’ve Got Mail, and the 1940 film it was based on The Shop Around The Corner. Nobody Wants This with Adam Brody and Kristen Bell blew my mind and made me want to write something for the screen. Sorry, that was eight answers.  

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Love on the Air

by Ash London

A vibrant enemies-to-lovers romance full of radio drama and unexpected love stories, from beloved radio presenter and podcaster Ash London.

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