Jojo Moyes Discusses Me Before You

Me Before You is the newest book by the award-winning author, Jojo Moyes. 

It’s a heartbreaking but inspiring novel that tells the story of a man who becomes disabled after a tragic accident and has give up on life, but when he gets a carer his perspectives are changed.

Jojo Moyes, the journalist turned novelist has brought us The Last Letter From Your Lover and Foreign Fruit and now brings us Me Before You, which is due to be released in the new year.

Jojo chats to us about the launch of this new book, her career change and on her proudest moments. 

- Could you tell us a bit about what Me Before You is about?

Me Before You is basically a love story with a twist. It's about a man who has suffered a catastrophic accident and lost the will to live, and the woman sent to care for him who decides to change his mind through a series of adventures.

- Where did you get the idea for the book?

I heard a radio story about a young rugby player who had been left quadriplegic and persuaded his parents to take him to Dignitas.

I was shocked by this story; it wouldn't leave my mind - I found it hard to believe that a mother could agree to do this.

But the more I read about it the more I realised that these situations are never clear cut and I didn't feel it was fair to judge them for it - any of them. And I began to put myself in each of their shoes...

- What impact do you hope the book has on people reading it?

I hope it might make them think a bit about their own life and what they want from it. But a lot of people who have read it have also said they felt uplifted, which is wonderful. Someone told me it made them want to seize the day - which felt like an amazing compliment.

I also hope it will make people a little bit more conscious of how they are around people with disabilities; that other people's attitudes are often more of a problem than the physical issue, and that really someone's disability should be the least important thing about them. 

- Who do you try to aim your books at?

That's a toughie! I'm not sure I aim them at anyone in particular; I find that you just have to tell the story that's burning in you or it doesn't leap off the page.

In fact, when I wrote this, I wasn't sure anyone would want to read it because of the controversial subject matter. Luckily, so far I seem to be wrong...

Before becoming an author Jojo worked at The Independent for ten years and still writes for the Daily Telegraph when she gets the chance.

- What was the main reason why you wanted to become a full-time novelist?

I write occasional articles for the Daily Telegraph, but being a full-time novelist was a long term dream of mine and I feel incredibly lucky to still be doing it after ten books.

Every day that I head upstairs to my office I still feel a flicker of excitement about what might happen. 

- Do you think being a full-time author is more fulfilling than being a full-time journalist?

I do sometimes miss working with people - I did love working in a newsroom - but there is nothing to compare with creating a whole world and having people enjoy it. 

- Have you got any ideas for any more books?

Always. They stack up like planes landing at Heathrow. My biggest problem, with three children, is finding the time to write them.

- Congratulations on winning the RNA Novel of the year award for your book The Last Letter From Your Lover last year, and also for winning the same award for Foreign Fruit. How did it feel to have your books be given this accolade?

Thank you - it felt amazing. I'd had a tough couple of years, and to have my peers say not just that they liked it, but they really liked it, was the most tremendous boost. 

- What has been your proudest moment of being an author?

Probably winning the RNA award for Last Letter. I worked so hard on that book, and I was afraid I had pushed the structure of it too far.

-Finally, why should people read this book?

Hopefully it will make them laugh, and make them cry, and if I'm really lucky, it might make them feel good about their own lives.

The book is released on 5 January 2011 and is published by Penguin