Talking with author Jodi Picoult

For me the story really began with the right to die. On a plane 10 years ago I was sitting next to a neurologist discussing end-of-life care and terminating life support. I said to him, "I am going to write that book one day." And years later I called him. I began doing research with him and talking about the medical side of the story. I knew I was going to have two siblings with competing interests when it came to their father's health care.

One day I woke up thinking about wolves. I realized that a wolf pack is a family, that everyone has a role and as long as you do that role, everyone functions. When you stop, the family falls apart. Suddenly, I realized I had a metaphor for the main character.

Nobody wants to have this conversation, but you have to. If you take the time now to talk to a spouse and children about what you'd want in this situation, you're giving them a gift by not having them have to make a choice for you later on. It takes the burden off of them. When it's too late, you can't have that conversation.

Yes. When I did my research, I thought I created a character who is fairly unique. Then I found out there's a real, live man who does this, Shaun Ellis, who lived with a pack of wolves in the Rockies for a year. I met with him and met with his wolves. All the stuff that happens in the book is adapted from experiences that he's had.

I said to him, "What's it like when a wolf brings you a haunch of buffalo and that's your dinner?" He said, "It's slimy and it's been urinated on." I was stunned, but I wanted it to be as realistic as possible.

(Laughing.) I have so not thought about that! Russell Crowe would probably do a good job. It'd have to be someone rugged.