Tell us about yourself.
Work hard, play hard is Jo-Anne’s motto. The only time she sits still is while reading, even then she sometimes spins. She’s an avid romance reader and had immense pleasure creating her novel. She is a medical doctor in Cape Town, South Africa. When she’s not consulting or field-side, she’s out taking photos or concocting stories while running. She relishes anything outdoors and delights in travelling with her husband.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up mostly in South Africa with a stint of my teenager years in the Amazon rainforest. I had a British lady tutor me in English, a Norwegian for Geography and met people from all over the world there. As a result I speak English, Afrikaans and Portuguese.
What was your journey to getting published like?
My first novel was hybrid publication. I had already lost the fine motor control of my right hand and could not write properly and was even struggling to type, due to an artery and nerves to my hand being squashed in my neck. I was about to have major surgery and wanted to have my book published in case something went wrong, so I signed for a hybrid deal on Surf 'n Turf the night before I went into surgery. I then suffered a complication and completely lost the function of my right hand for a few months and had to miss 6 months of work while doing rehabilitation. This time around I am self publishing.
What’s the best piece of feedback you’ve ever received?
Someone once said they kept wondering what my characters were up to afterwards. That means I met my objective of creating relatable characters.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Find your local writing community. For me I only found the Romance Writers of South Africa (ROSA) after my first publication. But they are a wonderful group with lots of advise and industry experience.
What’s a fun fact about you that your readers might not know?
Bacon is a vegetable 🙂
What’s your guilty pleasure book or genre?
I love reading historical romances, time travel and classic Sci Fi (Jules Verne) and adventure stories.
What’s your favorite quote about writing?
{“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” Anaïs Nin
When you’re not writing, how do you like to spend your time?
I really love my job, even the after hours! I have even given Charlie my job in Prescription for a Frozen Heart, which is to be released in 2025. I love to run, take photos, kayak, garden. Pretty much anything outdoors.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
CS Lewis, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. We were allowed to read one chapter a night and my sister and I took turns reading it out aloud. It was magical but so frustrating to have to move through it so slowly.
What has inspired you and your writing style?
My husband challenged me to write my first book as I was reading so much during lockdown. As I also enjoy adventure stories I like to write a fast paced novel, which keeps the characters moving through life rather than spending all the time in head space. Being married to one of the good guys, I wanted my first book to be an easy quick read with an honorable man as the protagonist.
When that was done, hubby challenged me to write a medical romance which fixes all the things that irritate me in other medicals I read. So this one can be read by a medical professional without fear of inaccuracies and having the doctors killing their patients while supposing to save them.
How do you deal with negative reviews?
I try and turn them into constructive criticism and incorporate suggestions if they were appropriate into my next work.
How do you connect with your readers?
Facebook, Goodreads and Instagram
What’s next for you as a writer?
I'm finalizing Prescription for a Frozen Heart for release early next year.
I'm already working on a time travel.
Are there any Easter eggs or hidden messages in your work?
You'll have to read to find that out 😉
How do you approach writing dialogue for your characters?
I love dialogue. I seem to always be having conversations in my head, so for me that is the easiest part of writing.
If you could share one thing with your fans, what would that be?
Read, read and read some more. I was camping recently and spotted a group of youngsters just finished high school all on their camping chairs with books in their hands. It made me so happy.
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