Better World Books Podcast: Jodi Picoult

Jodi Picoult came by my office on a Wednesday afternoon while she was in Atlanta for her book tour. And while I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing NY Times bestselling authors before, I’m definitely not as cool as I should be and I was nervous.

I mean, after all Jodi Picoult is not just any author she’s the kind of author whose books jump to #1 on the list the minute they come out. Everyone knows who she is. If you’ve ever walked into a bookstore or even past one in an airport, you’d recognize the cover of a Jodi Picoult book. And now her most famous book MY SISTER’S KEEPER is about to come out as a major motion picture as well.

So yes, I was nervous because of her fame but it was more than that. I had just finished HANDLE WITH CARE the night before at about midnight and I was fired up about the ending. Among other things, I was hoping I could politely ask why she chose to end her books with the shocking and upsetting twists and turns she is famous for.

The book is about Willow, a child born with brittle bone disease and her mother Charlotte’s ensuing wrongful birth lawsuit. As with all her books, HANDLE WITH CARE will keep you turning pages, caring about the characters and asking yourself what you would do if you found yourself in this situation.

We talked about the characters, the disease, the research that went into the book and yes, the shocking ending as well. And of course I had to ask about the upcoming movie release of MY SISTER’S KEEPER (June 2009 – starring Cameron Diaz and Abigail Breslin).

Enjoy the interview, and click here to check out the rest of the great authors talking about their books on our podcast page!