The Genre Interview with Jo-Anne Berthelsen

Welcome to the Genre Interview. Jo-Anne Berthelsen has kindly agreed to answer our questions related to writing genres.

What genres do you write?
Jo-Anne:  I write ‘faith-based’ novels and Christian non-fiction works (memoir), plus the occasional short story.

What market do you write for (Christian or general, clean reads etc)?

Jo-Anne:  Primarily the Christian market.

In which genres do you have books available for sale?
Jo-Anne:  General ‘faith-based’ fiction and Christian non-fiction, plus short stories in various anthologies (Glimpses of Light, several ‘Aussie Stories’ publications).

How many books have you published in each genre?

Jo-Anne:  Six novels (one general ‘faith-based’ historical fiction and five general ‘faith
based’ contemporary fiction) and two Christian non-fiction works, the first one a memoir and the
second (due for release on 1^st October) a mix of memoir, teaching and reflection questions.

Are you published traditionally, indie or hybrid?

Jo-Anne:  As of 1^st October, when my indie non-fiction book, Becoming Me: Finding my true self in
God, is released, I will be able to say I am a hybrid author (seven books published traditionally, one
indie).

Did genre influence your decision to choose a particular publishing model?

Jo-Anne:  Not with my first seven traditionally published books, but genre did influence my choice with my eighth book, Becoming Me. Because it is not quite the type of non-fiction the publisher of my previous two books is producing at the moment, I decided to publish it myself rather than look elsewhere. It is still a memoir, but also contains some reflection questions, so could also be classified under ‘Christian Growth’.

Are your published works available in print, e-book or both?

Jo-Anne:  My first four novels are/were available only in print, but my last four books are available in both print and e-book format.

Why do you want to write? Do you feel called to write?

Jo-Anne:  I want to write for a variety of reasons. Firstly, I find it so fulfilling and satisfying—even the
hardest parts! Secondly, I feel God has gifted me and also equipped me through my studies and life
experiences to communicate via the written word—and it is important I use the gifts and knowledge
God has given me. Thirdly, I believe I have things to say that can make a difference in the lives of
others and hopefully draw them closer to God, via both my fiction and non-fiction books, as well as
my short stories.
And yes, I also believe God clearly called me to begin writing back in June 2003, while I was sitting

on a rock in Turkey, reading Isaiah 42 (see my website for more details)! It had always

been a dream of mine to write, but from that point on, I knew writing (and speaking) were to be my

main focus.

Many thanks to Jo-Anne Berthelsen for sharing her thoughts on genre.

Jo-Anne Berthelsen lives in Sydney but grew up in Brisbane. 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 is passionate about touching hearts and lives through both the written and spoken word. She is the author of six published novels and two non-fiction works, Soul Friend: the story of a shared spiritual journey and Becoming Me: Finding my true self in God (to be released 1^st Oct). Jo-Anne is married to a retired minister and has three grown-up children and four grandchildren. For more information, please visit www.jo-anneberthelsen.com.