Tell us about yourself.:
I am a medical doctor by day and writer by night and somewhere in between I find time for photography, gardening, running, kayaking and travelling with her fishing mad husband. I am passionate about sports medicine and am also a travel doctor with a yellow fever license and a part-time academic. My first novel, Surf n Turf is set between Cape Town (home) and the Karoo where I love the brilliant night skies.

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?:
I was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, into a fairly ordinary medical family. Not for long, though… When I finished primary school, we moved to the amazon jungle where my parents were medical missionaries. The mission base was a cultural melting pot of Brazilians, Americans, Europeans and every nationality you can imagine. I quickly added Portuguese to my English and Afrikaans. (South Africa has 12 official languages (sign language being the 12th)).
I had a Norwegian tutor for geography, a British lady for English, a South African ecologist teaching me about the jungle, there was a an Argentinian who fell in love with an Australian. So I have a very multi-cultural background. When I returned to South Africa to complete high school, no one could figure out my nationality by my accent. I was just the jungle girl who had owned a pet sloth, nearly lost her parrot to a boa constrictor and dealt with many snakes and tarantulas. I also had a horse, Great Danes and Siamese cats who were never allowed outside without a leash – we never knew when there was a jaguar lurking around. Our house was surrounded by jungle. The howler monkeys were terrifying when we first arrived and I was trying to read Lord of the Rings and was convinced the sounds came from some creature in the book. After the jungle Cape Town was tame but my family continued to do short term mission trips, taking me to places like Uganda and Mozambique. I met my husband when I was 14 but we only married when I was 25 once I was finished studying medicine. He had never left the Western Cape before meeting me, now we have travelled all over the world and South Africa. My field of medicine also creates opportunities for travel, I have been to a conference in the USA, visited universities in the Netherlands, travelled with team South Africa to China, India, the Isle of Man, Zambia and Lesotho. I love exploring and with my husband we have ventured to Finland, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Madagascar, the Seychelles, Zanzibar and all our neighbors Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia. So I have many places cultures and languages to draw from in my writing. I now consider myself a naturalized Capetonian as I have lived here the longest.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I plot while I'm running.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
When writing thoughts from a different gender to your own, bounce your ideas off someone of that gender.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?
Porque Deus amou o mundo de tal maneira que deu o seu Filho unigénito, para que todo aquele que nele crê não pereça, mas tenha a vida eterna. João 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that who ever believes in him will have eternal life. John 3:16

What are you reading now?
A Thousand and One Arabian nights by Anon on audiobook in my car check out Librivox.com for free audiobooks (classic)
Work and Win by Oliver Optic audio book on my phone while I do chores (classic children)
The Leper of St Giles by Ellis Peters in my husbands car (medieval mystery)
Secrets at Court by Blythe Gifford in the lounge (historical romance)
The Phoenix and the Carpet by E Nesbit in the bedroom (classic children)
Trapped with the Duke by Annabelle Anders on my phone for queues (historical romance)

What’s your biggest weakness?
Well fitted jeans on a man
Historical romances
Chocolate

What is your favorite book of all time?
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
I never get tired of reading it. Or watching it, although reading is better as you get to imagine how they look. I love the way she creates strong personalities.

When you’re not writing, how do you like to spend your time?
Working!
Exploring
Researching my next holiday
Running
Photography
Hiking
Walking with my husband
Kayaking
Open water swimming

Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
The first story I remember was the Lion the Witch and the wardrobe. My sister and I took turns to read it out aloud and we were limited to a chapter a night. It was so frustrating.
When I was small, I was given a proper Holy Bible by my grandpa and a dictionary. I would look up a word to have to look up the words explaining that word. I guess it improved my vocabulary exponentially.
My setwork books at school I read cover to cover the first day I got them and instead of studying for the literature exams I just re-read them.

What has inspired you and your writing style?
Although I enjoy reading classics, I really enjoy the fast paced style of mysteries, combined with my love of romance. I want to keep the reader interested and turning the pages not getting bogged down in detail. Its an art to describe the beauty of the setting without leading your reader to skim.

What are you working on now?
A sweet contemporary medical romance which combines my passion for my work with my enjoyment of literature. Fire & Ice, How to Tame a Doc
Thomás Ribeiro could win the titles of “best dad” and “Dreamland’s Doctor Tall, Dark and Handsome,” but he is icy to ladies and with good reason. Dr Charlie Kriel is a pint-sized fiery sports doc, wary of kids and determined to do without men. A matchmaking aunt and engaging kid contrive to melt ice with fire. Charlie is determined to protect her heart and keep her secrets, so she fights like a scared kitten. Can Thomás, get out of his self-imposed ice-cage, and tame her?

What is your favorite method for promoting your work?
Book review sites

What’s next for you as a writer?
A time-travel romance 🙂
Buckle up for a thrilling ride through time and space in Dani the Dino Girl, From Fossils to Fables. When 21st century palaeontologist, Dani, is suddenly transported back in time, she finds herself in the company of a 17th century nobleman who escaped pirates by traveling into the 6th century. Throw in a stowaway boy, elephant birds, a mischievous lemur, and a missing grandma. Will Dani be able to use her scientific knowledge to survive in this new world? Or will she be swept away by the romance and adventure that awaits her? Fans of time travel, historical fiction, and animal companions will love this unique blend of science and fantasy.

There is loads of work still be done, but I'm enjoying all the research required for the various time zones. Who would have thought I would visit a glass museum, browse an antique store, take out palaeontology textbooks form the library or visit an archaeology dig?!

How well do you work under pressure?
I seem to get more done, the more that needs to be done. I thought during my holiday that I would write for vast periods, yet I ended up reading instead, but during term, when I can only snatch a sentence or a paragraph, then I really make progress. Work of course is never ending high pressure.

How do you decide what tone to use with a particular piece of writing?
It is entirely determined by my characters. I first need to understand what makes them tick, anticipate their reactions, let myself become their alter ego.

If you could share one thing with your fans, what would that be?
My photography. Search for "Jo D" on SmugMug

Jo-Anne Duffett’s Author Websites and Profiles
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