6 Of The Best: 100,000 copy bestelling author - Jo Ellis

A treat for you guys this morning: - an interview with number one bestselling author, Jo Ellis; a lady as pretty and sweet as the cakes that she bakes. Enjoy ;o)

1. Tell us something interesting about yourself? Interesting... hmm let me see... I’m not sure I’m all that interesting... I like to bake. Muffins, apple pies, biscuits, cakes you name it I like to do it. Cooking on the other hand, not so much, which is strange I guess.

2. What themes do you find yourself returning to in your writing? Well of course romance, romance and more romance, but lately I’ve found that I enjoy writing in first person more than third. I also notice that when the muse is inspiring me my writing is different to when I sit down and say right I’m going to do it. So I guess that is a theme, I write completely different when I’m inspired to when I make myself do it.

3. What does literary success look like to you? I think that if I have resonated with readers and found a target audience that will want to read everything I write, as I do with my favourites then this would feel like success to me. Basically I guess I would feel as though I had succeeded if I’m providing my readers enjoyment. I thought it would be about getting a big book deal or being a bestseller (which did feel nice J ) but it is more than that.

4. Who are your literary idols and why? There have been so many throughout the years that I wouldn’t be able to list them all. I think as my life as changed my taste in writing has too. If I were to name one it would be Paullina Simons and in particular The Bronze Horseman, this book is amazing. She is an inspiration and if I could produce a book half as good as this I would be happy.

5. Which one of your own pieces of work is your personal favourite? That’s a tough one... I have two really... Spoilt because it was my first baby and I worked on it for a long time and American Girl as I feel I ‘gave’ the most when writing this story. I was inspired most when writing this book and I think (hope!) it shows. It is also very different from everything else I have written.

6. Where can we find out more about you and your writing? At my website: www.joanneellis.net or at Night Publishing: http://www.nightpublishing.com/joanne-ellis.html I also have a Facebook page for Spoilt and can be found trying to be humorous on twitter @JoWritesRomance

Bio:

Joanne Ellis is an Australian romance writer and mother of two children. She always dreamed of writing novels and has been an avid reader most of her life. In between being a mum and writing she runs her own small bookkeeping business.

She has written eight romance novels under many sub genres, suspense, historical, erotic and fantasy, as these are her preferences when reading. Her first novel Spoilt was published by Night Publishing in July 2010 after she won their ‘First Chapter of the Month’ poll in April. The sequel, Twisted Fire is due out soon.

Joanne has written several short stories, one of which can be found in the anthology Words to Music titled Mystified.