Sophie Kinsella, August 24-28

[Amanda_Sewell]

Hi,  I just finished Twenties Girl yesterday and LOVED it!  Of course I dont think there is something you have had published I have hated.  I just could not put it down and finished it fast, which is saying something when you are a mom of a 4, 5, and 8 month old.   

I have two quick questions:

1)  Do you plan on writing a series again ever?  Why, or why not?  I loved Shopaholic and with some of your other characters I would just LOVE to hear more.

2)  Who are your favorite authors to read?

Thanks for taking the time to come chat with us!  How fun!!!

Hugs,

Amanda

[LisaSteinke]

Sophie--

So great to get your answers directly from you. (And way more fun than googling!)

Supportive husbands are definitely a must. As a writer who is very new to this whole world, my future hubby has already proven to be a great support. (Although he can't really cook..He bbq's so I guess we'll be having a lot of grilled "stuff"!)

Love all your books & that you took time out to answer all of our Q's!

TWENTIES GIRL is sitting on my nightstand...waiting ever so patiently for me to begin reading it. Looking forward to another great book  

xo,

Lisa 

[LizFenton]

Sophie--

Love your honest (and very relatable) answer about the Visa bill. Let's just say my hubby is our family accountant for a reason!

Love your books and am loving TWENTIES GIRL! I'm reading it in Hawaii and almost done... If only my kids would stop begging me to join them in the pool...

xo,

Liz 

[Sophie-Kinsella]

Hi Crystal

I have to be honest and say that I'm not reading any books right now. The only story I want to be cooking in my head is the new Shopaholic one. When I'm writing, I find that if I read other authors I start to pick up their style. So I'll be holding off for a while! 

 Childhood books I loved and will happily read again:

Ballet Shoes and all books by Noel Streatfeild

the Alice books

All books by E. Nesbit

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the Great Glass Elevator

Sophie 

[Sophie-Kinsella]

Hi Amanda

I'm so glad you liked the book! Thank you!

That's an interesting question about writing another series. It's not something I've ever made a conscious decision about, and I wouldn't rule out another series, but so far it hasn't felt right. To me, Becky is an ongoing character whose life I can 'tap into'. Whereas, so far, each of the stand-alone books has felt like a story that comes to a definite end: those characters have completed their journeys.

But who knows what might happen in the future?

As for favourite authors, so many! Let's start with Jane Austen, PG Wodehouse, Jenny Colgan, Lisa Jewell, Marian Keyes, Gemma Townley (of course!) Hester Browne, Helen Simpson, Nick Hornby, David Lodge, Carl Hiaasen, Ian McEwan, Dorothy Parker, Edith Wharton, Margaret Drabble... And nothing can beat a good Agatha Christie!

 Sophie

[Sophie-Kinsella]

Hi Lisa

Glad you have a supportive hubby too! Hmm, bbq, there's an idea for tonight...

All best with your own writing!

Sophie 

[LisaSteinke]

Sophie--

Two more Q's for you!

Out of all the books you've written, do you have a favorite?

Which book took you the longest amount of time to write? The shortest?  

**I recommend skirt steak tacos

xo, Lisa 

[LizFenton]

Sophie--

I have a two-part Q. How long ago did you write your first novel? Do you find that you still write the same way or have you changed certain things? (This includes, where you write, with or without music, etc..)

Excited you're working on another book for the SHOPAHOLIC series!

xo, Liz 

www.chicklitisnotdead.com 

[WriterCrys]

Thanks Sophie... what other interesting facts about your writing habits can you share (besides not reading other books when writing)... do you have a favorite place to write, time of day, music in the background or no, morning v. night, etc.?

It's always fascinating to know what the habits and rituals of other authors are.

And completely un-writing related: what is your favorite thing to give as a gift? And the favorite thing in your closet right now?

[Bethanne]

Sophie, so glad you're here and that you've had so many wonderful questions and comments so far. 

I've got one of my own: What was the inspiration for the necklace in Twenties Girl? 

Bethanne 

[Bethanne]

Sophie, I just want to emphasize to all how great Marian Keyes is...Helen Simpson, too! Two authors you love who should get more love from readers. 

But back to YOU: You've mentioned Agatha Christie a couple of times. Would you tell us all a bit more about what parts of Christie's novels have especially influenced you?

Bethanne 

[mammakim]

A Ghost story would be great. I can only imagine. I have to get the Twenties Girl, I have not read that one yet.

[mammakim]

The stories are great and keep me entertained. I let one of my co-workers borrow one of the shopaholic stories and now she is addicted

[Sophie-Kinsella]

Hi Crystal

My best time to write is in the morning when my head is clear. When I'm in the middle of a book I always wake up and think about it, planning the scene for the day. Then I go to my computer, make some coffee (essential) turn on loud music (essential) and switch off the phones (essential!!!) I try to write 1,000 words a day or more if it's going well. I spend time with my kids after they come back from school. Then I might go back and edit my work. Since I got a MacBook Air I find that I write all over the house, it's so portable.

Favourite thing to give as a gift right now: a tote bag which says 'Keep Calm and Carry On Shopping'. I love it! It's from this great British website, notonthehighstreet.com. And favourite thing in my closet: an orange Oscar de la Renta dress I bought for the screening of Confessions of a Shopaholic. It's so bright, it's crazy!

Sophie 

[danielle9]

Hello again!

Since someone mentioned music - who do you like to listen (not necessarily when writing but in general)?

[Sophie-Kinsella]

Hi Lisa

I feel as if my books are like my children, I love them all the same! Having said that, if I absolutely had to pick one it would be the first Shopaholic book, simply because that's where I first met/created Becky Bloomwood.

It's also the book that I wrote the quickest - I was so excited by it! Twenties Girl took the longest simply because I started it, then got taken up by film stuff and had to put it aside, then resume. So in calendar months it took a while.

Sophie 

[Sophie-Kinsella]

Hi Liz

I wrote my very first book in 1994 (under Madeleine Wickham).

Since then, I think I tend to plan the plot more before starting (back then I just winged it!!) I used to plan my books on my train journey to work as a financial journalist; now I go and sit in a coffee shop. But I've always listened to loud music, which acts like a barrier between me and the rest of the world, and I still knock back too much coffee!

Sophie 

[Amanda_Sewell]

Hey, me again . . .

I just thought of another question.  Your work as Madeleine Wickham is harder to get your hands on, and I was wondering if there is a reason for this?  Are they being repulished or I don't know, basically, just curious why that is?

Amanda

P.S.  Thanks for being one of my favorite authors EVER!  You're just too funny!

[SeanaD]

Hi there,

I am a huge fan - Remember Me? is one of my favorite books of all time.  I was wondering how you come up with plot ideas for your characters.  Do you draw from your own experiences or do you have a process for creating plots? 

Thanks!

Seana

www.chicklitchick.wordpress.com

[Thea18]

hey Sophie i'm so happy that u're here!!!

i immensely enjoyed the shopaholic series but have to say that can you keep a secret? is so far my fave.

My loooong train journeys have become so much fun thanks to your books!

The books go by so fast one after the other that I'm already waiting for the nxt one.

You make writing look so easy!!! 

Can't wait to catch up with Becky n Suze again ........

Thea