“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
Born in England on this date in
1947, Beverley started late with her writing career, but once she got
going became one of the most prolific writers of her time (she died in
2016). Writing in historical, science fiction and romance genres,
she produced 43 novels and 18 novellas filled with historical details and peopled by communities of
interesting and interlinked characters.
After moving to Canada in the 1970s, she helped found the Ottawa (Canada) Romance Writers' Association (ORWA) and became the first “romance” writer to be a finalist in the L. Ron Hubbard “Writers of the Future” Contest. Beverley won dozens of writing prizes including two Career Achievement Awards from Romantic Times, The Golden Leaf Award, and the Readers' Choice Award. And she was the sole Canadian romance author inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame.
Beverley said she always thought it would be fun to bring someone from the past up to her time for a chat about writing. “And I'd pick Jane Austen," she said, "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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