Sophie Kinsella, English author of chick lit

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Sophie Kinsella raced to the top of the bestseller lists in 2000 when her novel THE SECRET DREAMWORLD OF A SHOPAHOLIC was published. Since then her ‘SHOPHAHOLIC’ novels have sold over two million copies to date. She has also written two stand-alone novels, CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET and THE UNDOMESTIC GODESS, both of which were number one bestsellers, and seven novels under her real name, Madeleine Wickham.

What was the book that most influenced your life or your career as a writer?

1. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
   
   
   (children books (Ages 9-12), children books, sci-fi, fantasy)
   
   "My earliest, most impactful encounter with a book was when I was seven and awoke early on Christmas morning to find Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in my stocking. I had never been so excited by the sight of a book -- and have possibly never been since! I switched on the light and read the whole thing before the rest of my family even woke up. I think that's when my love affair with books began."
   
   


Source:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com

What are your ten favorite books, and what makes them special to you?

1. Emma By Jane Austen
   
   
   (health, literature and fiction, classics, girl fiction)
   
   "I love this book so much, I have to stop myself reading it too often. Jane Austen's wit and observation is just unsurpassed; I almost prefer the minor characters to the main ones. Every time I read it I find something new to enjoy. "
   
   


2. Agatha Christie Novels -- All Of Them!
   
   "I adore all Agatha Christie's books and turn to them whenever I'm ill or need cheering up. It's such a treat to lose yourself in that world of butlers and country houses. I'm also very lucky that I never remember the plots in any detail -- so I'm always surprised by whodunit!"
   
   


3. The Diary Of A Provincial Lady By E. M. Delafield
   
   
   (literature and fiction)
   
   "This is a gem of the 1930s, with one of the most endearing, funny characters in British literature. The heroine is a country lady with a wry sense of humor; her witty, self-deprecating commentary on life always makes me smile."
   
   


4. Dorothy Parker's Short Stories
   
   "Dorothy Parker's stories are simply stunning. I love the precision, the wit and the pathos, and that dark, dark humor."
   
   


5. Frost In May By Antonia White
   
   
   (classics, literature and fiction)
   
   "I read this book as a teenager and it had a huge effect on me. It's a meticulously observed account of a girl's life in a convent school dedicated to turning children into pious "Soldiers of Christ." It's based on the author's own experience, and rings with truth. The intense, distilled atmosphere envelops you as you read, and you gradually see the way the nuns are working on the girls' minds. It's quite chilling."
   
   


6. His Dark Materials By Philip Pullman
   
   
   (children books, children books series, sci-fi, teens)
   
   "I was absolutely blown away by this trilogy, in particular The Amber Spyglass. The world Philip Pullman evokes is staggering in its imagination and ideas -- plus it's the most fantastic, epic story. I can't remember being so riveted to a book for years, and was in tears at the end."
   
   


7. The God Of Small Things By Arundhati Roy
   
   
   (literature and fiction)
   
   "This is a most wonderful, intricate, poignant book. I come back to it over and over because of the stunning language and descriptions; every page is like a painting."
   
   


8. Through The Looking Glass By Lewis Carroll
   
   
   (children books (Ages 9-12), children books, literature and fiction)
   
   "I read both Alice books as a child and always preferred the sequel. It is full of the most fabulous mind games and riddles, and I'm particularly fond of the Red Queen and Humpty Dumpty!"
   
   


9. Small World By David Lodge
   
   
   (literature and fiction)
   
   "This is an old favorite of mine. It takes what might seem a dull subject -- academia -- and turns it into a riotous comedy full of larger-than-life characters, who spend their lives jetting from conference to conference, pinching each other's ideas, and vying for highly paid professorships. And of course, sleeping with each other while discussing literary criticism. (As you do.) A perfect combination of cleverness and comedy."
   
   


10. The Garrick Year By Margaret Drabble
    
    
    (literature and fiction)
    
    "Margaret Drabble is one of my favorite writers -- and this is one of my favorite books by her. It's the story of Emma and her actor husband, whose relationship is like a kind of love-hate battle. It's an incredibly honest, insightful, intelligent, and humorous look at marriage, and although it was written 40 years ago it feels totally fresh today."
    
    


Source:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com

If you had a book club, what would it be reading –- and why?

1. David Copperfield By Charles Dickens
   
   
   (literature and fiction, classics)
   
   "David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. For anyone who has read this book, going back to it is a treat; for anyone who hasn't, it is an absolute joy to come. The characters in this book are the most fantastic creations with resonant names to match -- the Murdstones, Peggotty, Uriah Heep. Mr. Micawber alone, with his comical financial troubles, has to be one of the most memorable characters in fiction. The storytelling is consummate, and the book is so rich with themes and ideas and sentiments that you could spend years discussing it, never mind a single meeting! "
   
   


Source:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com

What are your favorite kinds of books to give – and get – as gifts?

I find giving and receiving fiction quite difficult -- judging people's taste is tricky! But it's wonderful when you feel you've made a discovery they may not know about -- this Christmas I'm going to give The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger to family and friends. Otherwise I like to give and receive silly, funny books. I was just given The Pig of Happiness by Edward Monkton, which is a very silly picture book. It sits in my downstairs bathroom and makes guests smile.

1. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
   
   
   (girl fiction, literature and fiction, fantasy, sci-fi)
   
   


2. The Pig Of Happiness By Edward Monkton
   
   
   (motivational, self-help, health, literature and fiction, religion and spirituality)
   
   


Source:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com

Why should you listen to her?

Sophie Kinsella, aka Madeleine Wickham, raced to the top of the bestseller lists in September 2000 when her novel The Secret Dreamworld of A Shopaholic was published by Black Swan. The book’s heroine, Becky Bloomwood – a fun and feisty financial journalist who loves shopping but is hopeless with money – captured the hearts of readers worldwide and she has since gone on to further adventures in Shopaholic Abroad, Shopaholic Ties the Knot and Shopaholic and Sister, and has sold over two million copies to date. Sophie’s two stand-alone novels, Can You Keep A Secret and The Undomestic Goddess were both number one bestsellers, and have sold in the region of three quarters of a million copies each.

Sophie wrote her first novel under her real name, Madeleine Wickham, at the tender age of 24, whilst she was working as a financial journalist. The Tennis Party was immediately hailed as a success by critics and the public alike, and became a top ten bestseller. She has since published no fewer than six more novels as Madeleine Wickham, A Desirable Residence, Swimming Pool Sunday, The Gatecrasher, The Wedding Girl, Cocktails for Three and Sleeping Arrangements.

She submitted her first “Sophie Kinsella” novel anonymously to Black Swan, who were already her publishers, and it was snapped up without her editors knowing that she was already one of their authors. It was with the appropriately titled Can You Keep A Secret? that Sophie revealed her true identity for the first time.

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