Janet Gover (b.

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

, Australia) is an

Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal Au ...

writer of over a dozen

romance novel A romance novel or romantic novel generally refers to a type of genre fiction novel which places its primary focus on the relationship and romantic love between two people, and usually has an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending." Pre ...

s and more than 20 short stories since 2002. Her work has won numerous awards in the UK and the US, including the

Romantic Novelists' Association The Romantic Novelists' Association (RNA) is the professional body that represents authors of romantic fiction in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1960 by Denise Robins (first president), Barbara Cartland (first vice-president), Vivian Stuart ...

's Epic Romantic Novel of the Year (2017) and Elizabeth Goudge Trophy (2007). She also writes as Juliet Bell, in collaboration with English author Alison May. She worked as a television journalist in Australia and Hong Kong and the UK before moving to the UK. She was Publicity Officer for the Romantic Novelists' Association in 2010.

Biography

Janet Gover was born in

, Australia, and grew up in a small country town in

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

. After studying

journalism Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the "news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (profes ...

and

politics Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studies ...

at the

University of Queensland , mottoeng = By means of knowledge and hard work , established = , endowment = A$224.3 million , budget = A$2.1 billion , type = Public research university , chancellor = Peter Varghese , vice_chancellor = Deborah Terry , city = B ...

, she became a television journalist, first in Brisbane and then Sydney before moving to Hong Kong and London. She was an on-the-road reporter, covering everything from natural disasters to visiting movie stars. She became a specialist crime and court reporter before changing her focus to politics. After several years as a reporter, she moved behind the camera to become a programme producer, and assignments editor. Her first fiction was a short story, published in 2002. She is a well regarded creative writing tutor and frequently speaks to writing groups and conferences. Married to an Englishman, she lives in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

Bibliography

Short stories

*''The Last Dragon'' (2002) *''The Reunion Concert'' (2002) *''Where The Heart Is'' (2002) a.k.a. ''The Brown Pony'' *''Home of the Dragon'' (2002) a.k.a. ''The Last Dragon'' *''A Bush Christmas'' (2003) *''A Song in His Heart'' (2003) *''Pot Luck'' (2003) a.k.a. ''House Rules'' *''´Tis The Season'' (2003) *''New Beginnings'' (2004) *''To Love and To Cherish'' (2004) a.k.a. ''Snapshot in Time'' *''My Hero'' (2007) a.k.a. ''The Romance Writer'' *''Do You believe in Fairy Tales'' (2007) a.k.a. ''Fairy Godmothers Need Not Apply'' *''Do You Believe In Fairies?'' (2008) a.k.a. ''Fairy Kiss'' *''Homeward Bound'' (2008) *''A Heavenly Child'' (2009) *''The Homecoming'' (2009) *''Waiting For a Wish'' (2009) *''Genesis II'' (2010) *''Sweet Memory'' (2013) *''A Piece of Cake'' (2014) *''The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts'' (2016) *''The Road West'' (2016) *''Second Chances'' (2016)

Novels

*''The Farmer Needs a Wife'' (2009) *''The Bachelor and Spinster Ball'' (2009) *''Girl Racers'' (2010) *''Bring Me Sunshine'' (2013) The ''Coorah Creek'' series: *''Flight To Coorah Creek'' (2014) *''The Wild One'' (2015) *''Christmas at Coorah Creek'' (2015) *''Little Girl Lost'' (2016) *''Wedding Bells by The Creek'' (2017) The books were re-released starting in 2022, in a different sequence; ''Christmas at Coorah Creek'' preceding ''The Wild One''. *''Marrying The Rebel Prince'' (2018) *''The Lawson Sisters'' (2020) *''Close To Home'' (2021) *''The Library at Wagtail Ridge'' (2022) Writing as Juliet Bell: *''The Heights'' (2018) *''The Other Wife'' (2018)

References and sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gover, Janet Living people Australian romantic fiction writers Australian women novelists Women romantic fiction writers Writers from Melbourne Year of birth missing (living people) University of Queensland alumni