Jodi’s Comments (group member since Feb 08, 2013)

Jodi’s comments from the Ask Jodi Picoult - February 27, 2013 group.

Tiffany wrote: "Hi Jodi, I am a huge fan!

Thank you so much for writing all those amazing books! They were awesome!

I know there is a lot of questions for you to answer, so I will be short; will you, by any ch..."

I have been to Canada every year but blame the airlines - schedules this year made it impossible for me to get there!

Jodi

Darcie wrote: "Hi Jodi! I'm Darcie. I love all of your books. I've been to MANY of your book signings. I am already an author but I'm very new. I've signed with a very small independent publisher and put out thre..."

If you can afford it, hire a publicist. Go to book fairs and libraries and offer to lead book group discussions on your story for free. BE your own publicity machine and create word of mouth. It's a gradual process.

Jodi

Ruth wrote: "Hi Jodi, Your mom belongs to a movie discussion group that I go to @ the Mustang Library in Scottsdale, Az. She invited people to come hear you speak about your new book The Storyteller on March 1..."

Yes and yes!
Jodi

Lili wrote: "DEAR JODI:

WHY NOT A SECOND BOOK OF "HOUSE RULES"?:D

PS: I ♥ JACOB AND YOU"

I don't do sequels :)

Jodi

Audrey wrote: "Hi Jodi, my name is Audrey and I am a huge fan! my goal is to collect every book you've written and I've read almost all of them too. House rules was one of the best for me because i have Asperger'..."

I love finding out loopholes in the law, and telling you all about them - that's why I often create court scenes.
Jodi

Bana wrote: "Hello Jodi
I have read 13 of your books and among them I would, say, “Handle with care” is my favorite. Here is my question, in both “Vanishing acts” and “Change of heart” why did you introduce a c..."

Because the point of that book was false memory - what's real, and what our minds make up. And that played in very nicely to a lot of child abuse scenarios.

Jodi

Katelyn wrote: "Hi Jodi, I have read many of your books, my favourites are My Sisters Keeper, Handle With Care and 19 Minutes :)
1) How much input do you have into the covers of your books?
2) When you are writin..."

I have no input into my covers, really.
Sammy and I wrote every word of BTL together - talking the book out loud.
It is sometimes VERY hard to kill off my characters - I cry!

Jodi

Julie wrote: "Ask Jodi Picoult: What is the topic that was hardest for you to write about? Which book that you have written moved you the most?"

My favorite book is Second Glance. Multiple books though have moved me deeply: The Storyteller, My Sister's Keeper, House Rules, Nineteen Minutes.
Jodi

Sherri wrote: "Hi Jodi,
I have read all of your books and you are one of my favorite authors. Your stories carry such strong messages and you are always able to show the story from multiple points of view. How do..."

All books take 9 months - that's research AND writing. The ideas come from What If questions I can't answer.
Jodi

Patrice wrote: "Are you and your daughter going to write another book together?"

We hope so! We know what happens in the sequel to Between The Lines. We just need to find time together to work!

Jodi

Harriet wrote: "Hi Jodi,I'm Harriet and i just turned thirteen. I really love your books. I first received a book of yours when my dad gave it as a gift to me when i turned 12. I've already read these books:Perfec..."

Write from the heart, Harriet. And write what YOU need to write. Not what you think people want to read.

Jodi

Emily wrote: "Dear Jodi Picoult,
In past interviews, you’ve stated that writing novels is like “successful schizophrenia.” As a teen writer devoting a majority of my time to school work, I’ve found that the lon..."

Yes, very often those voices wake me up in the middle of the night. Or come while I'm driving. I used to write notes on my kids' arms (I never lost my kids, LOL but I did lose post-its) but they won't let me do that anymore!

Jodi

Heidi wrote: "Hi,
I read My Sister's Keeper for a medical ethic's paper and was disappointed with the death of Anna. By killing her off in the story, you took away her choice of continuing being used to help aid..."

Heidi - NO SPOILERS!! :(
That is the only ending for that book, the only one to shock that family out of a cycle of destruction. And the reason it's so shocking to the reader is because you too take Anna for granted.

Jodi

Kathy McC. wrote: "Jodi- I appreciate the amount of research that you do about the topics of your novels. The information that you work in to each novel helps make them more thought provoking. As someone who enjoys ..."

I try NOT to use search engines, except for preliminary research. I find people who DO the things I need to know, and I shadow them or hang out with them so that I can learn more firsthand.

Jodi

Amber wrote: "I have read several books, starting with my sister's keeper. I admire you for writing about subjects that many try to avoid. I especially enjoyed House Rules, based on Aspergers. What kind of res..."

I interviewed over 50 families of kids with Aspergers. Some kids I interviewed in person, some I interviewed by email (because face to face contact is hard for them). There was also a lot of legal research involved.

Jodi

Stephanie wrote: "Hello Jodi!

I am always curious with how an author develops their characters and story when they write. Do you plan out what you want to happen before you start writing, or does the story develop ..."

I know the beginning and the ending, but the characters get me from point A to point Z.

Jodi

Skate wrote: "Hi Jodi Picoult! :)))) Yaaaay, I'm really excited abt this Q&A stuff. I am a 3rd yr Psychology college student, 18 yo from the Philippines. With the 4 novels I've read from you, currently, I must s..."

I do a ton of research before I write a book. Sometimes months. I've done all sorts of things in the name of research, from recently studying elephants in Africa to hanging out with ghost hunters or firemen. For MSK, the inspiration came from my own son, who did not have cancer but did have repeated benign tumors in his ears that required surgery. It made me realize what a child with a chronic illness can do to a family. I wanted to explore that.

Jodi

Hadeer wrote: "Hi Jodi. I'm Hadeer, 22. I'm a big fan of your books and they inspire me a lot through life. My Question is: How do you create your simple but real and moving characters? and how can i create great..."

I can't really help you there! I feel like I'm channeling voices and just letting them speak through me. "Creating" characters is the hardest thing to explain because I don't feel as if I create them...they are already in my head.

Jodi

Emily wrote: "Hello Jodi,
I'm from Australia and I want to say that I love your books. I write some 'stuff' now and then and would someday, like to get published.
My Question that I would like to ask you is; Wha..."

You have to write something great, get an agent, and that agent will sell your book to a publisher. You can also self publish although at this point I do not recommend that course! I'd recommend taking a writing workshop first -- that will help you learn to create on demand and to give and get criticism.

Jodi

Katherine wrote: "Hi Jadi I would like to know whether in " handle with care" Willow intentionally goes into the pond at the end of the book or not. I've been thinking about this ever since reading the book book a..."

No Katherine - it was an accident. But I think she'd be happy to know her accident had nothing to do with her OI this time!

Jodi