Africa Online Book Fair Interview of Jayne Bauling

Today I want to welcome fellow South African writer, Jayne Bauling, who is being interviewed for the African Online Book Fair Blog Tour.

Can you tell us a little about yourself? 

I’m a fourth-generation South African on my father’s side, and grew up in Johannesburg, but now live in White River in Mpumalanga. I was fortunate to begin my writing career with 17 novels published by Mills & Boon in the UK, so I learned from some of the best editors in publishing, which served me well when I moved on to writing for the YA market.

What do you enjoy about being an author? 

What I love best is being able to share with others the characters, emotions and plots that spring into my head. Writing really is about sharing.

What type of romance stories do you write? And why? 

These days, although my teenage characters face some fairly harsh social challenges, there is always a tender relationship contained within the story.

Favorite place in Africa? 

Kruger Park, and I’m lucky to live within half an hour’s drive of this beautiful place, so I can drop in for a morning or a day when I feel the need to leave the world and its demands behind. I love the thrill of sighting animals and birds in the wild, but even if I don’t see much, just being in the bush restores and refreshes me.

Why do you think African romance authors and stories set on the continent are important?

The prime reason is that readers love characters and settings they can identify with, but there is also the fact that Africa is a vast continent, encompassing many cultures, and the more we learn about our similarities and differences, the more we will understand each other.

Do you think romance stories set in Africa & Africans vital to the publishing industry? If yes/no, why do you say so?

I want to believe that African romances will become increasingly important to the publishing industry because, in more and more  African countries, there is an increasing love of and demand for all genres of African fiction.

What traditional food do you love, that one can only find in Africa? (Provide picture, if possible) 

Bobotie came to South Africa centuries ago, so I believe it counts. I like the contrast of curried meat or fish, and the topping of a baked custard; of course it must be served with yellow rice cooked with raisins. Little side dishes of sliced banana, coconut, and maybe some chutney complement the dish perfectly. I love the mix of curry and sweetness.

Find Jayne Bauling here:

Email: jayne_mb@absamail.co.za
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/247156.Jayne_Bauling

To take part in the book fair on Facebook and meet many other interesting African authors, please sign up here: Event sign up: https://www.facebook.com/events/372063406523550
Facebook Group Page: https://tinyurl.com/ka3ucvl