Helen Fielding began the long and successful wave of chick-lit novels back in 1999 with Bridget Jones's Diary. That first novel and her two successive hits—Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and Cause Celeb have together sold more than 15 million copies in 35 countries. Now Fielding's about to up that number with her latest bestseller,
Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination, which hits PW's fiction list in the #12 spot. Viking reports 175,000 copies in print. The author has appeared on Today, CNN and The Early Show, and paid a visit to the ladies of The View. Olivia's sales should also benefit from the fall release of the second Fielding book-based movie, The Edge of Reason. It will feature the same cast (Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth and Hugh Grant) that starred in the highly successful film version of Bridget Jones's Diary.
