Big Little Lies author Liane Moriarty: Sibling rivalry made me write books

You might not have heard of Liane Moriarty, but you probably will know about Big Little Lies – Moriarty’s most famous book, which was turned into a hit TV series starring Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman last year.

Now promoting her eighth work Nine Perfect Strangers, the Australian author says she wouldn’t even have taken up writing if it hadn’t been for her sister.

“Sibling rivalry made me start writing,” she tells BBC News.

“My sister, Jaclyn Moriarty, had her first novel accepted for publication at the same time she was doing her PhD at Cambridge.

“We both wanted to be writers when we were little and I was so envious of her that that’s what drove me to write my first novel.

“I’m very grateful to her for my inspiration. I don’t think I would have written it – it gave me that push to finish it. It is my dream job!”

Both sisters have ended up as successful authors, with Jaclyn known for her novels aimed at children and teenagers.

Liane’s stories are decidedly more grown-up, and her new book follows nine people who enrol on a 10-day wellness course at a country retreat in Australia.

The group couldn’t be more different – they include a dysfunctional family of three, a young married couple and a romance novelist in her 50s (who is not based on 51-year-old Moriarty).

‘We’re obsessed with weight’

The group all expect to improve their health, but end up going through an experience they never expected, thanks to the vision of resort boss Masha.

“We’re obsessed with wellness, it’s just the latest trend so it was fun to explore,” the author explains. “It is something I believe in but at the same time I like to make fun of it.

“I just know that most people going to a health resort are thinking about losing weight and I remember speaking to a friend and her memory was everyone jumping on the scales each day.

“As a society we are obsessed with weight loss and it seemed to work with a character whose husband had left her, she would think that weight loss would be the answer – she thought that it would change the way she saw herself.”

Moriarty says the importance of highlighting the wellness obsession was to show “we go too far with it and believe it will answer all our problems – it’s become the new religion”.

BBC