|
Hi All!
What a month!! First and foremost, I became a grandmother. Greyson Gael was born last week to my son Kyle and his husband Kevin, thanks to the selflessness of an incredible surrogate. Perhaps I’m an unreliable narrator, but HE IS PERFECT. I haven’t met him in person yet — that’s what the next newsletter will be about :) It is truly hard to describe what it’s like to watch my first kid taking care of his first kid. I’m also so grateful for the forward march of technology that lets me spend 45 minutes gazing at him on a video call as he has a bottle.
In what feels like perfect timing, Greyson arrived at the exact same moment that I finished writing THE END on a libretto for a brand new musical with my co-writer, Tim McDonald. It’s unlike the others we have written, because it’s an adult comedic farce. It’s based off the book Austenland by Shannon Hale (and the subsequent movie, which starred Keri Russell and the amazing Jennifer Coolidge). I have not laughed so hard writing something in a long time. It was quite fun to celebrate two “births” in a single day.
Speaking of musicals — if you are a UK reader or vacationing there in September or October, please come see The Book Thief! It will be playing in Coventry and Leicester en route, we hope, to the West End. It is based on Markus Zusak’s beautiful book, and it has been a true honor to adapt it into a very beautiful show. It is as different from Austenland as humanly possible — think Les Misérables, with sweeping epic music and moments of great tenderness and some cheeky commentary thrown in. Given what’s been happening lately, it feels like exactly the right time to be telling this story about a young girl learning the power of words during the Holocaust. Sign up for information about tickets and much more!
Somehow, I have also been cranking forward on the new novel — which is a delight to write. I will be talking more about it in the months to come, but suffice it to say that you are never going to read a Shakespeare play the same way…and you are going to wonder how many contributions from women, historically, have been lost because the recorders of history are usually men. Here are some facts about Shakespeare that you may not know: he was never formally educated, yet apparently wrote some of the most beautiful pieces in all of literature; he never left England but was able to write Italian wedding comedies that detailed geographical bits of Italy not even recorded in guidebooks; he did not speak Italian or Hebrew, both of which are in his plays; he allegedly wrote educated, empowered female characters but did not even teach his own daughters to do more than sign their names with an X; he died without leaving a single book behind, or any papers or manuscripts; he was not buried in Westminster Abbey’s Poet’s Corner, although even marginal writers you have never heard of received that honor; there is verifiable proof of him as an actor and a producer of theatre — and as a very shady businessman — but not as a playwright; he had knowledge of court practices though he was never a courtier; his plays feature more allusions to music and details about playing music than any other group of literary works — but he did not even play an instrument. Now…what if I told you that there was a woman who had access and experience with all this and more…a poet who was the first woman to publish her work in England…with connection to the theater — a woman who, because she was a woman, would not have been allowed to be a playwright. Next time, I’ll tell you more about that very extraordinary woman.
Shouting out extraordinary women: I am so honored that Mad Honey is a finalist for the Audie Awards! Thanks to Carrie Coon and Key Taw for their incredible performances!
OK, I’m off to dive into the Elizabethan era again…and sneak a few peeks at my grandson’s photos.
XO,
Jodi
| |
|
MAD HONEY Is An Instant New York Times Bestseller!
Olivia McAfee knows what it feels like to start over. Her picture-perfect life—living in Boston, married to a brilliant cardiothoracic surgeon, raising a beautiful son, Asher—was upended when her husband revealed a darker side. She never imagined she would end up back in her sleepy New Hampshire hometown, living in the house she grew up in, and taking over her father's beekeeping business.
Lily Campanello is familiar with do-overs, too. When she and her mom relocate to Adams, New Hampshire, for her final year of high school, they both hope it will be a fresh start.
And for just a short while, these new beginnings are exactly what Olivia and Lily need. Their paths cross when Asher falls for the new girl in school, and Lily can’t help but fall for him, too. With Ash, she feels happy for the first time. Yet at times, she wonders if she can trust him completely . . .
Then one day, Olivia receives a phone call: Lily is dead, and Asher is being questioned by the police. Olivia is adamant that her son is innocent. But she would be lying if she didn’t acknowledge the flashes of his father’s temper in him, and as the case against him unfolds, she realizes he’s hidden more than he’s shared with her.
Mad Honey is a riveting novel of suspense, an unforgettable love story, and a moving and powerful exploration of the secrets we keep and the risks we take in order to become ourselves.
Order your copy today!
Download the book club kit!
| |
Margot and James are broken up—for good this time. James made sure of it when he dropped the bomb on Margot: that he doesn’t want kids, ever.
Then, on the biggest morning of his life, James—an ambitious lawyer at a high-powered firm—wakes up pregnant. He realizes with dread that he is part of a recent epidemic of men suddenly and inexplicably becoming pregnant. His condition obvious to the higher-ups, James is denied the promotion he was expecting, sending him reeling.
Meanwhile, Margot, a social worker, must handle the influx of desperate, pregnant teenage boys suddenly seeking her help. When she receives a call from James with the same problem, the challenge of navigating post-Roe America hits even closer to home.
| |
Ask Jodi: Answers To Your Questions | |
Have you always wanted to ask me a question, but thought it might get lost amidst the clutter of social posts? Well, I've created a special email account just for you! Submit your question to jodi@askjodipicoult.com and I promise to answer a few each month in my newsletter.
| |
|
Q: How did you choose beekeeping as a focal point in Mad Honey?
JP: I wanted to highlight a community where girls run the world — particularly because all the women in that book have found themselves at the mercy of men, at some point. I also loved the idea that there is a hive mind, and that decisions are made democratically by bees. It makes me think that there is the possibility we might be able to have our opinions changed, as well.
Q: What are you listening to?
JP: Taylor Swift & Phoebe Bridgers' Nothing New.
Q: What are you reading?
JP: Dark Rise by C.S. Pacat and Sonali Dev’s upcoming book.
Q: What are you watching?
JP: The Bachelor (God, why am I always sucked in), The Last of Us, Ginny & Georgia.
| |
|
Facebook Post Of The Month #1: Sarah
Just read Mad Honey. Couldn't put it down. Immediately re-read it. I've never done that before. So beautifully written. Such an important story. Thank you.
| |
|
Have You Seen…
This little nugget of perfection, Greyson, made me a grandma for the first time! I love him like mad. ❤️❤️❤️
| |
|
Need A Good Paperback To Read This Winter?
The Book of Two Ways, A Spark of Light, Small Great Things, and Leaving Time are all available in paperback.
You can read summaries and purchase the books via the links below.
| |
|
Facebook Post Of The Month #3: Bianca
I remember seeing your picture on the back of the books at my grandmother's house and always thinking how beautiful you were (are). And then I became a young adult and was able to fall in love with your writing. Stay a beautiful soul. 😊️
| |
|
Win A Signed Edition Of WISH YOU WERE HERE
Congratulations to Angela, this month's free signed book winner.
Each month, one person will be chosen from my newsletter subscribers or Facebook fans as a winner of a free signed edition of my latest book.
| | | | |
