Jodi Picoult

Jodi Picoult's new novel is Sing You Home.

From her Q & A with Merry Armentrout:

1. Why did you choose to write on the subject of infertility which affects one in 6 couples?

JP: Infertility has become epidemic. Although I don’t have personal experience with it, many of my friends have. I have seen how it is not just a medical issue but an emotional one. For some couples, the process draws them closer. For others, the process leads to heartbreak and the dissolution of the relationship. I wanted to create characters who were deeply committed to having a baby…and deeply wounded by their inability to do so.

2. What prompted you to write about LGBT family building?

JP: In my opinion gay rights is the last civil right we have yet to grant in the US. I wanted my readers - particularly those opposed to gay rights - to see that a gay couple wants exactly what straight couples do: the opportunity to have a committed relationship; the ability to create a loving family.

3. In your opinion, what does a “traditional family” look like today?

JP: I think the traditional family has become untraditional! My personal definition would be: any group of people united by their deep love for a child.

4. How would this book benefit someone who is struggling to start a family?

JP: For someone struggling with...[read on]

--Marshal Zeringue