'Austenland' follows Jane Hayes, a single woman with a deep obsession for Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice'. To escape her mundane life and unfulfilling relationships, she spends her life savings on a trip to Austenland, a British resort that offers a fully immersive Austen experience. Surrounded by actors playing roles from Austen's novels, Jane struggles to distinguish between reality and fantasy. As she navigates the resort's elaborate scenarios and intriguing characters, she begins to question her idealized vision of romance. The novel blends humor and romance while exploring themes of identity, escapism, and the complexities of love. Ultimately, Jane discovers that real life can be just as surprising and rewarding as her beloved novels.
Songs of the Humpback Whale tells the story of Jane Jones, who leaves her husband, Oliver, a renowned marine biologist, after a heated argument. Along with her teenage daughter, Rebecca, Jane sets out on a journey across America, guided by letters from her brother. The novel explores themes of family, love, and identity through multiple narrative voices, including Rebecca's story told in reverse chronological order.
Set in Nazi Germany from 1939 to 1943, 'The Book Thief' follows the life of Liesel Meminger, a nine-year-old girl who is sent to live with foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann, after her brother dies and her mother is forced to give her up due to the dangers of the Nazi regime. Liesel develops a deep love for books and words, stealing them from various sources, including Nazi book-burnings. The story takes a dramatic turn when the Hubermanns hide a Jewish man, Max Vandenburg, in their basement. Narrated by Death, the novel explores themes of war, loss, friendship, and the human spirit, providing a unique and powerful perspective on life during World War II.
#1 New York Times bestselling author, Jodi Picoult, spoke with me about writing for Wonder Woman, adapting books for musical theater, and the question of Shakespeare's true authorship in her upcoming novel BY ANY OTHER NAME.
Jodi Picoult is the bestselling author of 30 novels, including landmark titles such as Mad Honey – her most recent 1 million-copy bestseller – Wish You Were Here, A Spark of Light, and Small Great Things. 40 million copies of her books are in print worldwide and have been translated into 34 languages.
Her forthcoming novel is BY ANY OTHER NAME (on sale 8/20; Ballantine), described as a novel about two women, centuries apart – one of whom is the real author of Shakespeare’s plays – who are both forced to hide behind another name.
#1 New York Times bestselling author Kristin Hannah said of the book, “You’ll fall in love with Emilia Bassano, the unforgettable heroine based on a real woman that Picoult brings vividly to life in her brilliantly researched new novel.” Elle called it, “[An] inspiring work of feminist literature inspired by real historical accounts.”
Jodi was also co-librettist for the stage musical adaptation of her young adult novel Between the Lines (which premiered Off-Broadway in Summer 2022), the co-librettist of the musical BREATHE, the co-librettist of the musical adaptation of The Book Thief, and she is currently at work on an adaptation of Austenland.
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In this file Jodi Picoult and I discussed:
- What's changed and what hasn't for women (in theater) over 400+ years?
- The best time to break an arm for an author
- How she works in cycles for her books
- Why her kids made her write for Wonder Woman
- The conundrum of a famous playwright who didn’t own a single book
- And a lot more!
Show Notes:
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The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience 
