Author McEwan denies copying

British novelist Ian McEwan on Monday denied claims that he copied the work of another author when writing his acclaimed bestseller “Atonement.”

The Mail newspaper in London reported Sunday that Lucilla Andrews had been planning to draw attention to the similarities between her autobiography “No Time for Romance” and sections of “Atonement” at an awards ceremony. But the writer fell ill and died last month at age 86.

McEwan, 58, said Andrews was a source of “inspiration” for his 2001 novel and he drew on its descriptions of life in a London hospital during World War II.

“An inspiration, yes. Did I copy from another author? No,” he said on his website.

He added that he acknowledged his debt to Andrews in the author’s note at the end of “Atonement” and spoke about her in numerous interviews.

Andrews’ former agent, Vanessa Holt, said that Andrews had been aware of the parallels between her autobiography and “Atonement” but denied that Andrews had been planning to make a public swipe at McEwan.

Keira Knightley is to star in a film adaptation of “Atonement.”