Sophie Kinsella Talks Channeling Becky Bloomwood

Posted on October 25, 2014

British author Madeleine Wickham had several well-received novels under her belt when one day she opened her Visa bill and got a shock. She also got a vision of a woman who really loved to shop, but was terrible with finance. That woman became Becky Bloomwood, the star of the bestselling Shopaholic series.

Madeline Wickham became Sophie Kinsella and Becky Bloomwood became a star. Madeline has a degree in economics from New College, Oxford University, and worked at a deadly dull job as a financial reporter. She made her heroine Becky a financial journalist, as well. The twist was: she didn't have a clue about personal finance and was always teetering on the edge of personal bankruptcy due to her shopping habits.

Madeline invited CBS' Charlie D'Agata. into her London townhome for a CBS News interview to talk about her latest book, Shopaholic to the Stars. In this installment, Becky and her husband move to Los Angeles where Becky angles to become a stylist to A-list celebrities. Of course she lies to get what she wants and comedy ensues. But along the way, Madeline has a good time poking fun at the L.A. lifestyle.

Madeline takes Charlie on a walk through a department store to talk about the love for shopping, which is really like lust. The reporter finds that shocking. What is not shocking is that he doesn't like a gorgeous fuchsia coat. She gently corrects him, letting him know that it is fabulous. Back at her home, Madeline talks about her work space and juggling motherhood with writing. Madeline has five children, which range in ages from two to eighteen, she jokes that she has them in stock in every size.

All is going well until the reporter asks her how she feels about having an Oxford degree and yet only writing chick-lit. Yes, he went there. Madeline is unruffled and shrugs off the question. She has literally been asked this exact same -- insulting -- question in every single interview we've ever read. She must long to leap over the coffee table and strangle him. It does help a bit that he genuinely seems clueless instead of obnoxious. Women writers can sell millions of books and have their books made into feature films, but somehow because they are aimed at women or are comical the books are considered less valuable by some. No one asks male comic authors to justify writing comic novels.

Ever calm and collected, Madeline tries to explain the satisfaction she gets from writing her books and bringing a laugh or two into the lives of her readers. Writing is a solitary profession and she hopes people will like a book, but you never know. She explains, "But then you get somebody who says, 'well, you know what? I've read your book in the middle of the night when I was recovering from operation and it got me through.' I mean how can you do anything better in life than that?"



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