Author Interview | With Jo-Anne Berthelsen

Today we are interviewing Jo-Anne Berthelsen who has a new release. Welcome.

Fast Five

Mangoes or kiwifruit?

Kiwifruit – even though I grew up in Queensland where we had a big mango tree in our backyard! I
think I ate so many of them back then that it has turned me off them now.

Cricket or rugby?

Definitely cricket. I enjoy watching it on TV when I can.

Books or TV?

Books. I like TV at times, but there is nothing like curling up in bed with a good book!

Desert or sea?

Definitely sea. There is something so healing in walking barefoot along the sand at the edge of the
ocean, listening to the sound of the waves, watching the ripples on the water and smelling the saltiness
in the air.

Plotter or pantser?

Somewhere in between! When writing a novel, I begin with a fairly clear outline and a paragraph
about what I think will happen in each chapter, but that can change as I go along. With non-fiction, however, I am more structured and know exactly what I want to cover in each chapter, although the illustrations I include can change and grow along the way.

Getting to Know Jo-Anne Berthelsen

Where are you from?

I have lived in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, for many years now but grew up in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

What’s something interesting or unusual about you that not everyone knows?

As a young person studying for my Bachelor of Arts degree, I majored in Modern Languages, studying both German and Japanese. Then in my second year, I added Classical Greek to the mix!

Do you have a pet that keeps you company when you write?

No – unless grandchildren count!

What did you learn while writing your last book that surprised you?

While writing Swansong, I was surprised all over again at God’s amazing grace, love, wisdom and intimate knowledge of us. When I was about halfway through the book, I became very concerned and grieved about a family member facing a difficult life situation. I wondered if I could – or should – keep writing. But as I did, I realised God knew all about this situation and about how I felt. God
brought such comfort and peace to me, even as I wrote my various chapters dealing with these exact topics – and I realised in the end that writing about these things was in fact an act of mercy on God’s part.

If you were not an author, what would you like to be?

I would like to return to being a local church pastor, a role I had for some years before I began writing.

What’s your favourite hobby (not including writing or reading)?

I love doing crossword puzzles, especially the very British ones found in The Times crossword books.

What types of books do you like reading?

I currently enjoy re-reading my old favourites – for example, the Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries by Dorothy Sayers; the medieval whodunits by Ellis Peters, featuring Brother Cadfael; and the lovely, fat, Irish novels by Maeve Binchy. I have even been known to go right back to my childhood and read the whole series of the ‘Anne’ books by L M Montgomery all over again!

About Your Writing

What’s your favourite part of the writing process?

I like getting to the end of that first draft, then going back to the beginning and having all those lovely words to play with as I start editing! It’s a little like a challenging puzzle really, wiggling sentences this way and that until everything flows so much better.

How does your faith impact your writing?

My faith is the key reason I write. All my novels have strong faith themes such as holding onto our faith in God; receiving God’s love; forgiveness; using our God-given gifts. And each of my non- fiction books explores important spiritual topics – walking beside others and encouraging them in their Christian journeys (Soul Friend), becoming the person God intends us to be (Becoming Me) and
building others up through our words (Swansong).

What’s your biggest writing challenge?

Trying to find some clear headspace and balance in my mind, in the midst of the very disparate demands in my life – writing, editing, speaking at community and church events, minding grandchildren, supporting family members and friends going through difficult times, caring for our home, being active in the prayer area in our church etc. All so important, but hard at times to juggle.

Who or what are your main writing influences?

I love Madeleine L’Engle’s Walking on Water and her whole approach to writing and also Ann Lamott’s quirky book Bird by Bird: Some instructions on writing and life. But I am also grateful for all the input I have heard over the years at Omega Christian Writers’ Conferences here in Australia and also all I have read online at Australasian Christian Writers and Christian Writers Downunder, as
well as American Christian Fiction Writers.

Do you write in multiple genres or book categories?

I write fiction (historical and contemporary full-length novels) and non-fiction (memoir and general Christian non-fiction). I have also written a weekly blog for many years. About Swansong

Describe Swansong in one or two sentences.

Swansong is a gentle challenge to consider carefully how God’s words and the words of others have impacted us and how the words we in turn speak and write can best honour God and build others up.

Who is the target audience for Swansong

Swansong is a work of Christian non-fiction in the category of Christian Living. Readers who like books that provide gentle encouragement to draw closer to God, reflect on their own lives and interact with others in a more positive way should enjoy and benefit from this book. I envisage they will primarily be Christian men and women of any age and maturity of faith, but hope the title and chapter headings, along with the many personal stories and examples I have included in the book, will also interest non-Christian readers.

What inspired you to write Swansong?

Over the years in my various occupations, I have seen the huge impact our words can have on others. As a result, I decided to write Swansong to encourage us all to think carefully about the words we speak and write daily so that, when we reach the time of our own swansong or final farewell, we may
be at peace, knowing we have done our best to leave behind our own unique legacy of life-giving words that will continue to minister God’s heart to others. In the process, I also hope to remind readers to reflect on how God’s words have shaped their own lives, along with the words others have shared with them, and how this can then impact the words they in turn speak to others.

Which Biblical themes did you explore in Swansong?

I explore twelve themes in Swansong that are clearly seen in Scripture in the way God has reached out to us all from the beginning of time and in the way Jesus spoke and acted while here on earth. These are words of empathy, encouragement, affirmation, challenge, forgiveness, comfort peace, mercy,
wisdom insight, humility and love.

If a reader wanted to learn more about a specific problem or issue, how could Swansong help them?

Sometimes when we open our mouths or write a quick text or email, without thinking how it may impact the other person, we can do such damage. I know I am certainly prone to doing that. I am hoping then that Swansong will help others like me to truly listen to and care about others, all the while listening to God for the right words to say in a given situation rather than rushing in
with their own.

What would you like readers to take away from reading Swansong?

I hope they will sense God’s Spirit drawing them closer, revealing more of Jesus to them, the very Word made flesh (John 1) and that they will indeed hear Jesus’ own gentle voice speaking encouraging words deep into their hearts as they read. I hope they will be strengthened to speak and write all the words of empathy, mercy, wisdom, forgiveness, comfort and so much more that God has uniquely equipped them to express. And finally, I hope when they reach the time of their own swansong, they will be at peace, knowing they have done their best to create their own legacy of life-giving words that will continue
ministering to others.

Please tell us about your upcoming book releases.

I have a contract for a second book with Authentic Media UK currently titled Little Lessons for Life’s Journey. This will hopefully be released around next January and is based on some of the many hundreds of blog posts I have written over the years.

Book Description

The words we speak or write have real impact. They can bring love and acceptance, but they can also hurt and destroy. Do we want to build others up or tear them down?
Jo-Anne Berthelsen encourages us to make our interactions with others as positive as we can through God’s strength. Combining her own experiences with biblical teaching, Jo-Anne explores twelve ways our words can be used to build up those around us, including through empathy, affirmation and
forgiveness.
By being more intentional about the way we speak on a daily basis, we can create our own unique legacy of life-giving words that reveals God’s heart to those around us.

Book Sales links

Author’s website Koorong Books Amazon Authentic Media Ltd

Short Author Bio

Jo-Anne Berthelsen is an Australian author and speaker who lives in Sydney NSW but grew up in Brisbane, Queensland. She holds degrees in Arts and Theology and has worked as a high school teacher, editor and secretary, as well as in local church ministry. Jo-Anne loves communicating through both the written and spoken word. She is the author of seven published novels and three non-fiction works. Jo-Anne loves reading, playing the piano and completing crossword puzzles and is also a keen blogger. She is married to a retired minister and has three children and four grandchildren.
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