If you have read my Me Before You book review, you probably got the sense that I may be a little obsessed over this book (and may too have gotten hit by a wave of feels- given the ending). So when I heard that the Me Before You promo tour had a San Francisco stop, I immediately marked my calendar and ordered a physical copy of the book (even though I already had the kindle version from a while back- sorry not sorry)!
The event began by showing two trailers. One of the trailers had never-before-seen footage that gave us a deeper look into Will and Louisa’s dynamic relationship.
After they showed the trailers, author Jojo Moyes spoke about the book and, briefly, what it was like getting to work on the movie. She emphasized how she worked very closely with the crew to make sure every scene aligned with the book. Her one non-negotiable was the ending; it had to stay true to the book. So if you’re a huge fan of the book, don’t worry. The spirit remains strong and true in the movie.
Then she turned the table to the audience and opened the floor to questions.
One of the first questions an audience member asked was if One Plus One has been in talks of becoming a movie and I’m happy to say it has. Moyes has written a script and the film will be handled by Warner Brothers, so be on the lookout.
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Moyes’ motivation for writing the book came from a story she heard in the news, back in 2008, of a man who was left quadriplegic after a major accident and asked his family to take him to Dignitas, a clinic in Switzerland. As a mother, she said she would fight to keep her children alive but after doing some more research, the topic wasn’t as black and white as she initially thought it was. So she explored and toyed with the idea of what she would choose to do if she were that man. Would she be bitter about life and want to end it or continue to live life despite the circumstances?
As an ex-journalist, she thinks that doing research is key when handling a heavy topic. She wanted to get all the facts right. But given her own personal experience, she wanted to also include some humor. Two of her relatives, at the time, needed 24 hour care; and when it comes to those circumstances, she said, you have to have some humor when dealing with the process.
Moyes is currently at the beginning of a new project, so don’t worry readers- a new book is in the works! In the meantime, there will be a collection of her short stories that will be coming out later this year.
Before the question and answer portion of the evening was over, I wanted to know what came first during the early stages of her writing process- character or plot. Though it seemed like a mix of a bit of both, she sided with character. Moyes highlighted how character is key and that addressing an issue is important.
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Overall, the event was very intimate and provided readers with plenty of time to ask questions. Moyes was funny and such a delight to meet. You could tell she cares about her books as well as her fans. Moyes took the time to have a conversation with each and every one of her readers. I cannot wait to watch Me Before You when it hits theaters on June 3rd- with some tissues at hand, of course. But in the meantime, I’ll read up on her other lovely stories.
Upcoming Book Tour Dates:
Chicago – Unabridged Bookstore
May 19 (Thursday) @ 5pm
3251 N Broadway Street
Chicago, IL 60657
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New York City – Barnes and Noble Upper West Side
May 20 (Friday) @ 7pm
2289 Broadway
New York, NY 10024
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