PRose with Special Guest Emily Giffin

This episode of the PRosé podcast features charismatic New York Times bestselling author Emily Giffin, whose debut novel Something Borrowed was made into a movie starring Kate Hudson, Ginnifer Goodwin and John Krasinski in 2011. This “chick lit” genre author has five other of her novels currently optioned for movies and in various stages of development. Vikki Locke and Cyndee Woolley spoke with Giffin about her latest novel, The Lies That Bind, and everything from how involved she is in process of making her book into a movie, to how she left her NYC attorney job to move to London for first novel.

Now a long-time resident of Atlanta, Giffin started her career as an attorney in New York City. She went to law school, she says, by default, because she was good at writing and not great at math and science. But trying to write a novel while also working long hours at a high-powered law firm proved to be challenging, as it took her more than 5 years to write her first book, which then was never published. Instead, she decided to take a leap, quite literally over the pond, and moved to London to take a year off to write a novel. She used her time in NYC to situate the characters in the pre-9-11 Manhattan we are all familiar with. The “last golden time” as she calls it, of Sex in The City, bars and parties. That novel, her debut Something Borrowed, would later be adapted into the successful film, and set her on course to write 9 more.

Asked if it was difficult to see her novel adapted into a movie, she says she always had an attitude of finality with her work: “the book is the book”. But felt the film could take things in a different direction if needed. Unlike many producers who don’t want to “get chummy” with “difficult and neurotic” authors, producers Molly Smith and Hilary Swank worked closely with Giffin. And she became close friends with Smith. She says of adapting the book that the experience is like having “the world inside your head turned into a collaborative effort”. Although she wasn’t on-set for the entire filming, which took place in NYC, she did visit the set several times and met the actors.

Next up for Emily Giffin is a project she remains tight-lipped about, but involves her most recent novel, 2020’s The Lies That Bind, being adapted into a limited series. She reveals the actor who plays Cecily has been chosen but can’t say anything else.

Listen to the podcast for more details on Giffin’s writing process, her love of England, and how she has been emerging from the isolation and TV binge watching of the pandemic.

Are you launching a book this year? Email Vikki Locke to be considered for an upcoming episode.