Anna Jacobs - personal information

I have a very happy life. I've been married to my own personal hero for many years and he's still my very best friend. I have two daughters, a son-in-law and a small grandson whom I love to pieces. That makes a wonderfully solid emotional platform from which to enjoy writing my novels and seeing my stories published. It also explains why I like to write romantic and family stories with happy endings, whether they're historical, modern or fantasy stories.

My husband and I have a house in Australia, where we live by the water's edge. If it weren't for the mosquitoes, which adore me, I'd spend more tiime out of doors. I have to be the most delicious person on this planet as far as mozzies are concerned.

We both emigrated from England and have close family there still, so we spend the northern hemisphere summers at our Wiltshire home so that we can spend time with them. All the years of hard work have paid off to allow us to do that - not that I mind working hard. How else would I write three novels a year? It's also good to see my publishers and agent, as well as do research in person for the books set in England.

On the home front, I confess to having no domestic genes whatsoever. I'll never be remembered for my dusting and ironing. I don't iron. Not at all. One has to have standards! I won't waste writing time on an activity that is useless, because the minute one puts an ironed garment on, it gets crumpled again. I pay someone else to clean my house because I do like to be clean. And cooking has lost its interest since I developed several food intolerances. Cooking something you can't taste or eat because it'd make you ill does not appeal.

My favourite hobby is spending time with my husband, family, personal and writing friends. People are so endlessly fascinating.

I also love reading other writer's novels. I'm so addicted to stories that I read three books a week, some of them for research but most just stories for my pleasure. What can I say? I'm hopeless! I have to have at least one book on the go.

I used to enjoy embroidering pictures of my own designing, but arthritis has put paid to that. I enjoy watching TV in the evenings, because I never write after teatime. I especially love programmes from which I learn something. (I'm also addicted to learning.) I love Time Team, Grand Designs, history programmes, antiques shows, drama series (as long as they're not too violent) and I have to watch the news at least once a day. 

I'm interested in nutrition and health, because I lost my health a couple of times, first to chronic fatigue syndrome (ME in England) then to fibromyalgia, which sometimes follows it a few years later. To anyone with those problems, I say they can be overcome. Go for it!

I vowed after I got better that if any effort of mine could prevent me losing my health again, I would do whatever was needed. I'm not a naturally sporting person (eyesight too bad, giving poor co-ordination) but I do walk on a treadmill nearly every day and it is worthwhile. You have to do gentle exercise to keep fibromyalgia at bay. I use a treadmill because the mozzies can't get me inside the house! 

The treadmill has another benefit. Walking seems to stimulate creativity. Other writers have found that too.


Contact

Anna Jacobs is happy to be contacted about her writing and books. Please visit the contact page for more information.

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