Check Out Ali Gordon’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ali Gordon.

Hi Ali, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I double majored in Musical Theater and English at the University of Michigan — knowing that I wanted to work professionally as a musical theater actor, but never giving up my childhood obsession with books and reading. As a child, I would “write books” in spiral bound notebooks, and then mail them to my grandparents so that they could mail them back with the “New York Times Book Review” glued onto the back of the notebook. I always dreamed of writing a book and having it published.

“We Have Reached the End of Our Show” is my debut novel, so this is really thrilling and new for me. On September 30th, Skylight Books in Los Feliz is hosting the book launch! The novel deals with themes of loss, illness, the creation of art, and the various ways people deal with impossibly hard news. Oh, and the end of the world. That too! I wrote this book in 2020 partly as a way to deal with the death of both of my parents; I needed fiction as a cipher to make sense of a lot of feelings and wasn’t particularly interested in writing anything autobiographical.

I regret that my grandparents and parents, who were the earliest supporters of my writing, are no longer alive to see a childhood obsession come to fruition. Though, I suppose, I’m hoping someone else will give it a nice review that isn’t glue-sticked to the back cover.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Publishing is a very competitive business; both extremely selective and extremely slow-moving. Coming to publishing from working professionally as an actor, I genuinely thought I had no ego left to bruise. I was wrong! I’m still extraordinarily glad I pursued it, and ended up with Wildling Press as my publisher. They’re an incredible small press, and I am very grateful to them.

Of course, I am not sure I would have been able to write this book without the deep grief and sadness that upended my life; I lost both of my parents within two years of each other. I had an ugly mess of feelings to make sense of — and of course was also pursuing therapy and many real-life applications to get through my day-to-day — but creative people look for creative outlets for their complicated emotions. This book was that outlet. I realized quickly I had no interest in telling a truly autobiographical story, but naturally these characters became the prism through which I could more safely view the world and my own feelings. I was surprised by what reflected back at me.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a comedian, author, improviser, and also write musicals! I performed at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York City for nearly a decade before moving to Los Angeles, and have performed all over the country with Team Starkid, and overseas with Baby Wants Candy. My comedy musicals have played in New York, Los Angeles, and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. This is my debut novel, and first foray into publishing.

Is there any way we can engage with your book besides reading it?
I would really like to highlight my BOOK LAUNCH EVENT taking place on September 30th! I am so honored that my favorite bookstore in LA, Skylight Books in Los Feliz, is hosting what I believe will be a very unique evening.

Unlike standard Q&As, the book launch event at Skylight includes a performance element. Invited performers are doing 10-15m of material about loss, grief, and life-changing moments that felt like “the end of a world.” Currently signed on to perform are all-stars Alyssa Limperis, Vinny Faseline, Harper-Rose Drummond, and Thayer Juergens. I’m so honored they’re lending their time and talents to this event.

The intersection of grief and comedy is a unique one – but can be a powerful way destigmatize some and really painful conversations we don’t like having.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Finding success as an artist can be a long road; I used to be scared of anything that felt like a diversion from the path. But all of those diversions have actually bolstered who I am today, and what I can actually contribute.

What are some common questions you get about your book, or publishing in general?
Is writing a book hard? In my experience, writing was the easy part! Everything that follows (editing, querying, editing again, finding a publisher, editing again, designing a cover, editing again, conceptualizing that your friends and family are going to read this very personal narrative very soon) is much, much harder.
Are any of the characters based on yourself? No. Unless you loved them, in which case, yes.
Are any of the characters based on me? No. Unless you loved them, in which case, yes.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.whatdoesaligordondo.com
• Instagram: @msalicenutting

Image Credits
all photography by Grace Stockdale