Episode #28
Joanna Jenkins: From Corporate Lawyer to Author of Bad Neighbours | Publishing, Thrillers & Starting Again
What happens when a life-changing accident makes you rethink everything you thought your future would look like? In this episode, I’m joined by Australian author Joanna Jenkins , who made the remarkable transition from a 30-year career as a corporate lawyer to pursuing her lifelong dream of becoming a published author. Joanna shares the story behind her unexpected career change, her journey from childhood storytelling to writing and publishing her first novel, and the persistence it took to navigate manuscript revisions, rejection, publishing contracts, and the realities of building a career as an author. We also dive into her latest novel, Bad Neighbours , a gripping mystery set in Sydney’s vibrant Potts Point. Joanna explains what drew her to the area and how its contrasts between wealth, poverty, privilege, and vulnerability helped shape the story and its characters. With a background in law, Joanna brings a unique perspective to her fiction, drawing on her professional experience, family life, research, and observations of the world around her. We discuss character development, plotting, pacing, research, social media, book marketing, and the importance of finding a supportive community as an author. Whether you’re a fan of Australian crime fiction and psychological thrillers, an aspiring writer, or simply curious about changing careers later in life, Joanna’s story is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to pursue a creative dream. In this episode; Joanna Jenkins’ journey from corporate lawyer to published author How a life-changing bike accident prompted a major career change From childhood storytelling to writing her first novel Writing about the realities of law firm life The five-year journey of drafting and revising her debut novel Overcoming rejection and finding the resilience to keep going Moving between non-fiction, mystery, and thriller writing The inspiration behind Bad Neighbours Why Potts Point became the perfect setting for the novel Exploring wealth, poverty, privilege, and community through fiction Creating characters inspired by family and real-life observations Researching locations, characters, and storylines The challenges of plotting, pacing, and developing suspense Building a readership through social media and author communities Lessons Joanna has learned after publishing three books Advice for aspiring Australian authors Subscribe to the podcast for more conversations with Australian authors, debut writers, bestselling novelists, and publishing professionals discussing writing, books, publishing, creativity, and the stories behind the stories.
