Bestselling novelist Jojo Moyes discussed her sequel to Me Before You and After You. The much-loved protagonist Louisa Clark moves to New York City in Still Me. The author spoke candidly to an audience of fans about the development of the character, her own role in the film adaption of Me Before You, travelling to New York during the writing of her new sequel, Still Me, and the importance of libraries.
She explained that her original intention to portray Louisa as a character who was “nice and identifiable and ordinary in a good way”, which she kept in mind during her role in the casting process for the film.
Moyes’ decision to base Still Me in New York was born out of a desire to let the character of Louisa grow in an “emotional and internal” way, rather than simply adjusting to a completely new culture. She described travelling to the city while writing the novel and her shock at the gap between rich and poor communities, recalling a visit to a library in Washington Heights, which acted as a “safe haven” for disadvantaged residents.
The conversation led on to the importance of libraries, of which Moyes described herself as a “passionate supporter”, explaining that books are vital in teaching children empathy. This manifests in her work with the Quickreads scheme, which aims to re-introduce adults to reading through short books and simple language. Moyes is funding the project for three years.
If you missed this, you might enjoy event 342, After You., on Friday 1 June at 7pm. Visit Hay Player for the world’s great writers on audio and film; https://www.hayfestival.com/hayplayer/default.aspx?