Author Interview with Joanne Speirs

Joanne Speirs is a proud South Australian author whose love for rural life and small-town connections shines in her heartwarming stories. When she’s not crafting tales set in her fictional town of Point Perry, Joanne works as a romance editor, helping other authors bring their dreams to life. I recently had the pleasure of catching up with Joanne over coffee, and her knowledge of books and the publishing industry is truly impressive.

In this interview, Joanne shares how her upbringing on the Eyre Peninsula has shaped her storytelling, the inspiration behind Point Perry, and her favourite ways to unwind. Plus, she gives us a sneak peek at her upcoming projects. Let’s get started!

1. Growing up on the Eyre Peninsula must have been such a unique experience. Has growing up there and your experiences in a rural area shaped your perspective and the stories you want to tell?

Absolutely! I lived on a farm until I was 16 before moving to Adelaide after I completed my schooling. Farm life doesn’t prepare you for city life, and the contrasts were so stark. Living in a rural community brings with it a village of people, families, and friends who all have something in common, who all look out for each other (mostly), and who rally around when things get tough, or something needs to get done. There’s a spirit that is so unique in these individuals and communities that isn’t present in the city. I still miss it today, and it is why I write small-town stories. To capture the essence, quirks, challenges and triumphs.

2. What inspired the setting of Point Perry, and how do you bring the charm of small rural and seaside towns to life in your books?

Point Perry is a fictional town on the beautiful west coast of Eyre Peninsula, based on the small seaside town of Venus Bay – where I spent all my childhood holidays. Point Perry needed a school, hospital, footy & netball club, retirement village and business district, so I mashed my hometown of Wudinna to Venus Bay and Point Perry was born. A rural community revolving around farming and fishing, where sports bring the town together, where the community rallies around for big events, where issues are met head-on and where love blooms. Community and connection are recurring themes in my work. They are the pillars of vibrant rural townships.

3. When you’re not writing or editing, how do you unwind? 

Editing and writing tend to take up A LOT of my time, but I do like relaxing in my egg chair on the back deck and reading. Hubby and I have ‘date day’ on Sunday, and we often go for a drive in the countryside to find something nice for brunch or lunch. Walking with my favourite audiobook playing is where you’ll find me most mornings, and for something a bit crafty, I quite enjoy a colouring book or paint by numbers.

4. What is your favourite Christmas tradition that you share with your family? 

My nanna and mum were huge bakers, and Christmas always meant … honey biscuits! I have beautiful memories of doing this with Nanna. Not only the baking but also the decorating, the mess, the smell and the eating. When my boys were old enough, this tradition continued with baking with my dear mum until she passed away about ten years ago, which left the tradition to just me and my boys. Now that they are older (23 & 18), they are more into eating them rather than the baking.

I look forward to continuing this tradition if/when grandchildren arrive!

5. As a romance editor, you help other authors bring their stories to life. What do you love most about this part of your work?

Writing a book is hard, and it takes a village. Many of us go into the writing cave, not quite knowing how or when we’ll come out. For some, it’s just writing to get the word out of our head, having no goal other than that. For some, it’s to get a traditional publishing contract – to be on the bookshelves. And for others, it’s to self-publish. What I love most is having a small part in this massive process, being involved in making someone else’s dream come true, and being able to cheer loudly and shout from the rooftop when their books are published – because it's HARD!

Through my editing, I’ve worked on the most amazing stories that have gone on to win awards and become best sellers. But the biggest joy is making beautiful friendships. Friends who support, cheer, commiserate, and be there on this crazy ride.

6. Can readers look forward to more from Point Perry or perhaps another story on the horizon? What’s next for you?

They sure can! I’m currently working on the next full-length story (with the working title of Let Me Love You in Point Perry). This is Lindy and Sebastian’s story. My readers met Lindy in Second Chance Love in Point Perry. She is a FIFO worker who drives her truck across the Peninsula during her off weeks delivering goods. When she encounters a couple of life-altering incidents, she finds herself homeless and back in Point Perry for good.

Sebastian is the local land agent, and along with his big feelings about Lindy, he’s also dealing with a feud with his brother, who runs the family dairy and ice creamery.

I cover some big themes in this story, such as body image, family feuds and PTSD.

There will also be another Point Perry Christmas story out in July.