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.