Author - Jodi Picoult

     Jodi Picoult has written 13
novels. Her latest is The Tenth Circle. I met her when I was in preschool with her son in New
Hampshire. Our families became close and we have kept in touch. I interviewed Ms. Picoult via
e-mail.



When did you know you wanted to be a
writer?

In fourth grade, when my teacher gave me an F for an
assignment on what we did over the summer. I wrote from the point of view of a piano I’d
practiced on and she said she didn’t assign fiction. Of course, she
hadn’t assigned nonfiction, either.



Did
you want any other jobs growing up?

I dreamed of being a writer, but I
never expected to make a living at it.



Who is your
audience?

I write for adults, but I know teens read me and I love
that. Men and women send me equal amounts of fan mail. I really write for me, what I need to write
about. I'm just glad everyone else wants to
read it!



What is your favorite genre to write/read,
and who is your favorite author?

Fiction. No particular genre, just a
good story. Alice Hoffman is my favorite
author.



What book of yours is your favorite?


The Tenth Circle - it’s like nothing that’s ever
been done before in fiction and I’m proud of
that.



Which of your books is best for teens?


The Tenth Circle, The Pact, or My Sister’s Keeper
because their main characters are teens who are represented honestly
and realistically.



How do you get ideas for your
book? From your imagination, other people, books, or media?

All
-they’re “what if” questions I can’t answer - I keep
thinking about them and then they blossom into a plot. Sometimes it’s a story I see in the
paper, or a fight I have with my mom, or something a kid brings home from school that gets
me thinking.



What do you think is important to know
about writing?

You have to be self-motivated - there's no
editor calling you daily to spur you on. And you have to believe in yourself, because
you’re going to be rejected, a lot, before you
are praised.



Do your sons Kyle and Jake read your
books?

Kyle was the first to read my books - he read My
Sister’s Keeper and didn’t want to talk to me after he finished, he was that mad.
Jake has read more than Kyle. He’s read about four of my books now. He also helped me with
the graphic novel element in my new book since I knew nothing about super heroes and comic books.