“When I settled to
writing seriously, which would be in my 30s, I did expect to be published
eventually, but my aspirations weren't very high. A published book and a few
appreciative readers was my idea of heaven.” – Jo Beverley
Mary Josephine "Jo" Beverley, who was born in 1947 and died in 2016, went far beyond those aspirations,
publishing 42 novels, dozens of short stories and novellas, and a number of
research pieces. Born in England where
she grew up and studied history, she moved to Montreal, Canada in her mid-30s
and began writing career as a historical, quasi-romance novelist.
Noted for her
attention to historical detail, both to the eras and the people who inhabited
those time periods, she created communities of interesting interlinked
characters with terrific dialogue – traits that won her numerous writing
awards. “I've always loved
history, from my youngest memories,” she once remarked. “My father enjoyed the great stories of
history, like Hereward the Wake, Robin Hood, and Richard the Lionheart, and he
shared them with me. I went on to do a degree in history, though I found it
rather dry, because it was mostly about politics rather than dashing
individuals!”
So, she kept the history and invented her own “dashing”
characters, which won her legions of loyal readers and a “Readers Choice
Lifetime Achievement Award.” Shortly
before her death from cancer, she said she had one wish unfulfilled.
"What I'd love to do would be to bring a person from the past to me. In that case I'd pick Jane Austen, because I'd like to know what really made her tick. It's my opinion that she was inhibited by her family and a desire to do the right thing. Away from all that, I believe she'd show new facets and enjoy the adventure."
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