Bestselling author Jojo Moyes has shared a poignant story about how her friend, the late Sophie Kinsella, played a pivotal role in the creation of her global hit novel, Me Before You.
A Fateful Lunch That Saved a Novel
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs with Lauren Laverne, Moyes revealed she was on the verge of abandoning the manuscript after writing just 20,000 words. At a low point in her career and facing financial difficulties, she confided in fellow author Sophie Kinsella over lunch.
"I told her the story of my 20,000 words over lunch and she just looked at me, and she said, ‘You have to write this book, you do know that? You have to write this book’," Moyes recounted.
The encouragement did not end there. Later that day, Kinsella's husband, Henry, called Moyes to reinforce the message, saying his wife (whose real name was Madeleine Sophie Wickham) had told him about the story and that she should write it.
From Doubt to International Bestseller
Heeding her friend's advice, Moyes completed the novel, which went on to become an international publishing phenomenon. The book, which tells the story of caregiver Louisa Clark and paralysed man Will Traynor, was inspired by a real news article Moyes had read about a quadriplegic rugby player.
Following years of modest commercial success, Me Before You catapulted Moyes to fame, spawning a sequel titled After You in 2016 and a third book, Still Me, in 2018. The novel's success was cemented with a major film adaptation in 2016, starring Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin.
An Emotional Writing Process and a Lasting Legacy
Moyes described an intensely emotional process while writing the book, stating that she knew it was special. "I remember writing it and sobbing so hard that the man in the next office came next door to see if I was OK," she said, referring to a pivotal letter at the story's conclusion.
She added, "I knew I loved this book and I knew it was the best version of itself that it could be, but I had no idea it was going to resonate in the way that it did."
The revelation adds a deeply personal layer to the legacy of Sophie Kinsella, the beloved author of the Shopaholic series, who died in December at the age of 55 after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer.
Moyes paid a heartfelt tribute to her friend, stating, "I love her for many reasons, but that’s one of them." The full interview aired on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.
