Born in New York, Jodi Picoult, 56, published her first book in 1992; she has written nearly 30 novels and been translated into 34 languages. Several of her novels have been adapted for television, and My Sister’s Keeper became a film starring Cameron Diaz and Abigail Breslin in 2009. Picoult’s play of The Book Thief premieres at the Octagon theatre, Bolton, on 17 September. She is married with three children and lives in New Hampshire.
What is your greatest fear?
Heights.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Perfectionism.
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Prejudice.
What is your most treasured possession?
Recipes that were written out by hand by my grandmother. They are terrible recipes for terrible dinners.
Describe yourself in three words
Driven, creative and curious.
What would your superpower be?
Changing other people’s minds.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
This wobbly bit of skin under my chin.
If you could bring something extinct back to life, what would you choose?
I would save the black rhino which is on the brink of extinction.
What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Bridgerton on repeat.
What is your most unappealing habit?
I have asthma, so I always sound like I’m hacking out my lungs.
How often do you have sex?
Why on earth would I kiss’n’tell?
What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
Teleporting.
Who is your celebrity crush?
Jonathan Bailey, this season’s lead in Bridgerton.
Which book are you ashamed not to have read?
Vanity Fair.
What is the worst thing anyone’s said to you?
I once had a very famous author call me out in an interview, saying he didn’t understand why I was always “bellyaching” about gender discrimination in publishing.
What was the last lie that you told?
I told my husband that I was not multitasking when he called me, but I was actually talking to him and answering an email.
What was the best kiss of your life?
On our fifth anniversary, my husband and I rowed to a tiny Scottish island that had the ruins of a castle. We were the only people on this island and it might not have stopped with a kiss.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
I don’t know but I am sure my copy editor could tell you that.
If you could edit your past, what would you change?
I would not let Nick Cassavetes direct My Sister’s Keeper, the film. He said [the ending] was going to match what was in the book, then changed it.
What keeps you awake at night?
Questions that I can’t answer – and that’s what becomes a book.
What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
If you believe in yourself, eventually somebody will look twice to wonder why you have that much confidence, and that is often the break you need.
Tell us a joke
Did you hear the one about gaslighting? Yeah, you did.
Tell us a secret
I am 56 and I sleep with two teddy bears.