Bradford born and bred Alexandra Potter has finally fulfilled the ambition of a lifetime by completing her first novel and getting it published. The 29-year-old tells Alexandra Phillips what it feels like to make a 'dream come true'.

I ALWAYS wanted to be a writer but I thought it was one of those things that only happened to other people," says Alexandra Potter, a former Thornton Grammar School pupil.

"Now it's a reality and I can't believe it. It's great."

Alexandra's first book What's New, Pussycat?, whose title was inspired by the author's love of singer Tom Jones, is due out next month and she is more than happy with her life as a writer.

"I spend most of the day in my pyjamas trying to get inspired but if I ever get writer's block I head for the shops and Kensington High Street to spend some cash. That normally clears my head!"

Alexandra admits that too many distractions during the day means that she is often working well into the night, while her photographer boyfriend sleeps.

"I do tend to write my best stuff in a wide eyed, coffee induced frenzy between eight o'clock at night and three in the morning. It somehow seems to flow a lot better and I still get to see my boyfriend because he is always popping home during the day."

The book is partly biographical with the heroine Delilah - whose name was taken from another Tom Jones classic record - based on Alexandra and certain events that have happened to her.

Delilah is from Bradford, Alexandra's home town, but she moves to Notting Hill, where Alexandra now lives. The book is all about her making the right choices in love and work for the future.

Alexandra said: "It's about a Tom Jones fan from up North who moves down to London. I focus on some of my own experiences and the continual questions I got about my accent and where I came from. But of course not everything that happens to Delilah has happened to me. I have exaggerated things a little bit."

And she is thankful to the movie Notting Hill, which is mentioned in the book, and the re-launch of Tom Jones' career.

"It was perfect timing. I never would have thought Tom would become trendy again but he has done at the right time. I love him and used to listen to him when I was little. I played his records while I was writing my novel and would get up and have a little dance when I needed a break. The plot is based in Notting Hill and there is a lot of interest in the area because of the film. There are tourists forever wandering the streets looking for the famous 'blue door'."

Although Alexandra is settled in Notting Hill she still has very fond memories of her early days in Bradford.

"I loved it. School was great and I adored my teachers. I loved growing up surrounded by fields where I could walk my dog. That's something you don't tend to get in London. I remember I had a really good time with my friends going out in Bradford and we still keep in touch."

Alexandra studied English Literature and Communication Studies at Liverpool University because she was initially set on a career in writing for magazines.

"That's why I headed for London. I thought the career as a novelist was out of my reach and I knew all of the good magazine jobs were down here. But I remember my first job only lasted for two months because the magazine folded and I was made redundant."

Despite her first job not working out Alexandra has written for several large women's magazines on a freelance basis and spent six months working for Vogue in Australia as a sub-editor.

"Working for Vogue was just fantastic. It boosted my confidence enormously and was a great experience for me. It was a good position and the opportunities over there are amazing. The weather was great and we spent weekends at the beach. I would recommend it to anyone."

But unfortunately Alexandra had to return to Britain after breaking her shoulder when she was knocked down by a car. She soon got back into the London way of life and started writing freelance and working as a sub-editor on established magazines such as Red.

Her ideas for the novel came to fruition in her spare time after her boyfriend and friends kept telling her to 'go for it'.

"I kept going on about how it was my dream to be a writer. I saw all the new books coming out and would think to myself 'I wish it was me'. In the end my boyfriend and my friends persuaded me to get started. I even bought myself a handbook on how to write a novel."

She followed the book's advice and after months of thinking of an idea and getting the first three chapters written, Alexandra sent her work off to ten agents.

"I really couldn't believe it when six of them wrote back to me saying that they loved it. It was a dream come true. I picked an agent which seemed particularly keen, sold my car for the money and stayed at home writing for the next six months. Now I have a two-book deal and have not been back to work since.

"My inspiration comes from movies such as Sleepless in Seattle and Pretty Woman. It's about coming away and feeling good about something. I want to give people a book they don't want to put down. Life can be so bleak and boring but I want people to have a laugh with my book. I want it to cheer people up."

What's New, Pussycat? is due out next month and WH Smith and Waterstones have agreed to publicise it for her. But Alexandra has been hit by the writing bug and has already started on her second novel Going La La before the first has been launched.

The launch will take place in a bookshop on Oxford Street on April 26 and will include a Tom Jones tribute band.

WHAT'S New, Pussycat? will be available to buy from April 27. It costs £5.99 and is published by Fourth Estate.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.