Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
A1. Since 2012 when I finished working for Child Protection until 2024 when my Epilepsy was at its worst, I felt like my life was put on hold, even though I was writing my book it was a struggle to get through those years.
I am lucky to have an extremely supportive family. They would come over and get me up in the morning to make sure I had a shower got dressed and went for a walk. I am one of the lucky ones, I don’t know whether I would have survived without my family.
In 2024 I had a stroke and since then it was like I had awakened from a coma and my family and friends state “it’s like you’re a different person, we have the old Jo back”.
I love to keep busy and continually set myself challenges. While I was writing I needed a hobby something I could do to relax, because being in front of a computer all day is hard for me as I suffer from osteoporosis. (This is a fun fact for you, which you would think the doctors would have told me back in 2009, when I started on anti-seizure medication, the medication causes osteoporosis. However, it’s too late for me to start take supplements to prevent bone weakness, when at the age of 52 I have the bones of an 80-year-old).
To the surprise of everyone who knows me I started baking, I use my husband’s work colleagues as test subjects for my cookies and cupcakes and if they don’t die or get sick there a winner, and go in my recipe catalogue.
My business is slowly growing and I set myself challenges to make sure that my baking stands out above what is currently on the market. Recently I took some cupcakes to my hairdresser and she gave a couple to her clients who stated “these are amazing I have never had anything like this before”.
I have recently started cooking everyday meals and as my husband tells his mates “Since the stroke she’s become this superwoman, she couldn’t boil an egg before, the stroke’s the best thing to ever happen to her”.
The one thing that I am extremely grateful about is that I can now drive again however, either I am just a more careful driver or there are more idiots out on the road.
Of course, I can’t tell you my story without mentioning my two beautiful fur babies, it is amazing how animals can get you through the worst days. My two-year-old 3kg kg miniature Cavoodle Zeena runs the household, she controls her brother Bentley who is 3 and weighs 10kg. If Bentley is on the couch and Zeena wants that spot, she growls, he jumps off and she jumps up. My husband and I say, Bentley dude you weigh 10kg she weighs 3kg. They definitely love each other. Bentley accidentally shut himself in the bathroom the other day, and little Zeena went and pushed the door open so he could get out. Bentley also suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and walks around the house on his daily ritual poking objects, and sometimes he pokes people.
Last but not least my second novel. If you have read my first novel you will know I do not hold back, and my next novel is no different. The only difference is everyone is in the firing line this time round, if you have ever been ripped off, treated unfairly, abused or just in a crappy situation then you are going to love my next novel. Keep a look out for my name in 2025, you won’t be disappointed.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Child Protection Behind Closed Doors”?
A2. Unfortunately, my epilepsy was extremely bad for most of the time I was writing my novel whereby I was having up to five seizures a week until late 2023.
I had a stroke in 2023, and since then as far as I know I have not had any seizures. I have amnesia when I have seizures, so I often lose days at a time, unless someone tells me or I have an unexplained injury I don’t know I have had a seizure.
The main challenge I have had to face in regards to writing is I suffer from dyslexia and although I write in my novel “Dyslexia is not a disorder, I can read the same book twice and come up with a different ending”. It certainly can be a challenge when it comes time to edit your own work.
I found once I completed the initial draft of my book reading what I wrote at the start when I was unwell, reading what I wrote at the end, it was like two different people had written the book.
I was lucky that between my publisher Tellwell and my cousin who worked in the legal system the final copy of my book was exactly what I had been striving for.
The other challenge I did face while writing my novel was the legality of what I was writing, obviously I needed to be careful how I worded things and make sure that I did not provide any information that would identify the people I was writing about.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
A3. I have always loved true crime; my book shelf is almost all on this topic. When I was selling my house, it was suggested to me that I remove some of my true crime novels as people might be scared off by all the books on murder I had in my study.
There is one book that really stands out in my mind called ‘Don’t Let Her See Me Cry a Mothers Story’ by Helen Barnacle. This novel follows the life of a woman who struggles through a life of addiction. While in prison she fights for change and the right for a mother to have her child in prison during the early years. Helen fights for many changes within the prison system while incarcerated and leaves a long-lasting legacy after she leaves.
Helen also goes on to study and graduates with a degree in psychology.
Helen Barnacle’s story has always stayed with me, and the desire to want to change a broken system, has been a growing desire of mine for a long time. This is the reason why I have written my novel Child Protection Behind Closed Doors.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
A4. My husband is from King Island which sits between Victoria and Tasmania Australia and I really love going there. Everybody is so friendly; you can walk everywhere; the food is fantastic and it is so relaxing. On one of my many trips there, I stayed for five weeks and I considered resigning from my job and staying on the island permanently.
The other place I really enjoy is the Grampians in Victoria Australia I used to go there with my best friend and her family for three weeks every Christmas when we were young. We camped at a place called Lake Fyans. There are so many activities and bush walks to do.
My best friend and I are considering going back there to re-live some of the best years of our lives.
Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘Child Protection Behind Closed Doors’?
A5. Initially I was writing my story as a mental health exercise, until I received a phone call from a retired Child Protection Supervisor who informed me that after I left work Management directed that my colleagues were to cease all contact with me. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I left work for medical reasons. I was diagnosed with Epilepsy three years earlier, where I had full body seizures and stopped breathing, and felt this could place other people and children in danger, as they were becoming more frequent.
When I left work, mentally I was at my lowest point, I had lost my job, my independence as I was not able to drive, and I became depressed. When I found out that Child Protection Management added to my suffering by taking away my life line. All my experiences of bullying and other systemic issues that have plagued Child Protection not only in Australia but worldwide. Those are lack of support by Management, drug taking over worked and poor decisions made by management and workers.
My personal experience and the harsh realities of the child protection system are at the forefront of what encouraged me to address my own mental health. In addition, exposing my experience of bullying and loss allowed me to grow as a person and rise up against what has become acceptable behaviours, to hopefully address these issues and bring about change, in an industry that has long plagued our society. These are the reasons I decided to write my story and hopefully prevent other people going through what I went through.
Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Child Protection Behind Closed Doors’?
A6. It took me approximately three years to write this book.
Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?
A7. My book can be purchased through my website, (Jocooling.com). or through Amazon, Amazon Kindle, AbeBooks, Walmart, Kogan, Kobo. There are other sites, but I cannot list them all.
The media release has only occurred in America and is still to be released in Australia.
Reader Views has just given Child Protection Behind Closed Doors a Five Star Rating.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Child Protection Behind Closed Doors’?
A8. I had taken a photo of my neighbour’s great granddaughter cuddling my two puppies in the foyer of my front door. I knew straight away that was the type of photo I wanted for the front cover of my novel.
There is a saying “Silence hides violence”. Therefore, Child Protection Behind Closed Doors is similar, what it means to me is the things that occur when no one can see or hear, and until someone talks about them it becomes a systemic issue that continues to escalate that gains traction and in Child Protection has become a systemic issue and potentially could cost somebody their life.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
A9. When writing Non-Fiction, it is a little bit different because the story is already there. When I was writing it was more about providing a visual effect, for example when I spoke about the state of a house not being fit for people to reside in, providing the reader with the description to allow them to be in the house with me, was important.
Because, my novel had some heavy content I provided some positive affirmations at the end of each story to hopefully allow readers to mentally debrief after each story.
During the writing of my novel, as it was a long process I was actually writing two novels at the same time. Therefore, when I needed a break from the heavy content of Child Protection Behind Closed Doors, I would flip to my second novel which I will hopefully be releasing in mid-2025.
Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?
A10. The most valuable piece of advice I have been given is to enjoy what you are writing about, and enjoy the experience of writing. If you are not enjoying what you are doing, if you are stressed, get up and walk away until you can centre yourself and relax. You cannot force writing; it needs to flow.
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