Jodi Picoult, An Author of Research

I could’ve stayed until morning listening to this phenomenal woman speak. The Stanley County Library in Albermarle held a fundraiser (dinner and speaker) this past Saturday evening with Jodi Picoult. Author of such great books as Second Glance, My Sister's Keeper, and Vanishing Acts.

Wow. And Jodi can talk. She relayed her stories around her research, career as a writer and her books with such enthusiasm and exciting detail. Jodi goes to any length to research her stories. And she doesn’t write what she knows. She writes what she learns. Take a look at her work and her web site at http://www.jodipicoult.com/.

Tiny, petite, and full of boundless energy, she’s funny. Her warm personality gives you the feeling you’ve known her all your life, or that possibly she’s a distant cousin come to visit. No two books alike, her stories are often dark, but sprinkled with humor. She's an amazing speaker who kept us spellbound for over an hour with her travels and experiences as she learned about firefighting, ghosthunting, living with the Amish, and much more.

One of the great authors of this century, Jodi has not received near enough praise and recognition for her work, in this writer’s opinion. She may have found a new place to do some research, however. In her rare visit to the land of tobacco and cotton, Jodi was amazed she wasn’t seeing more plantations and visions of the Old South as she drove past strip malls and car dealerships and mentioned it to her driver. He promptly pulled the car over, stopped, then turned around so he could look her in the eyes and said, “You burned ‘em all.” Proof positive that even after all these years and generations later, Southerners still remember the "war of Northern agression" like it was yesterday.

I just hope he smiled after he said it. I don’t want Jodi to think we aren't ladies and gentlemen, after all, even if she is a Yankee. Come back to the South anytime, Jodi. As you can see, we reek with story.

I believe Jodi Picoult could travel anywhere for research and write another bestseller. She’s timeless. She's class. She's a beautiful person.

Blessings to you and yours.