Sophie Kinsella once revealed the celebrity fan who ‘made her day’

The author has died at the age of 55, three years after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer

Best-selling author Sophie Kinsella once said it made her day to find out Hollywood star Joan Cusack was one of her celebrity fans.

Kinsella’s family announced the author’s death on Wednesday (10 December), stating in a post on her Instagram account that she had “died peacefully, with her final days filled with her true loves: family and music and warmth and Christmas and joy”.

“We can’t imagine what life will be like without her radiance and love of life,” they added.

Kinsella’s books include the hugely popular Shopaholic series, which grew to include 10 books during the author’s career. The first two Shopaholic novels were adapted for the big screen, with Amy Adams playing Becky Bloomwood - a twentysomething financial journalist who is secretly terrible with money - in the 2009 movie.

Speaking to website 29Secrets in 2014, Kinsella revealed that plenty of celebrity fans have approached her to talk about her books over the years. “It was very sweet when I was working on the Shopaholic film and Joan Cusack said she was a big fan,” she said. “That made my day, because I am the hugest fan of Joan Cusack.” The School of Rock star played Becky’s mum, Jane, in the film.

Joan Cusack (Getty Images)

Kinsella’s books have sold around 45 million copies in more than 60 countries around the world, and have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her death at the age of 55 comes three years after she was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. Kinsella revealed the news to the public last year.

In their post announcing the author’s death, her family continued: “Despite her illness, which she bore with unimaginable courage, Sophie counted herself truly blessed – to have such wonderful family and friends, and to have had the extraordinary success of her writing career. She took nothing for granted and was forever grateful for the love she received.

“She will be missed so much, our hearts are breaking.”

Many of Kinsella’s friends and fans have shared tributes in the wake of her death. Araminta Whitley and Marina de Pass, her agents at The Soho Agency, described Kinsella as “a once-in-a-lifetime author and friend”. “She had a rare gift for creating emotionally resonant protagonists and stories that spoke to, and entertained, readers wherever they were in the world and whatever challenges they faced,” they added.

As well as penning the Shopaholic series, Kinsella wrote more than a dozen other titles - some of which were published before she adopted her pen name in 2000. Her first six books were released under her real name, Madeleine Wickham, in the nineties.

She is survived by her husband Henry and their five children.