Jo-Ann Sparrow​

I'm a Queensland, Australia based writer, researcher, host and producer of

Jigsaw Queensland's Adopt Perspective podcast and public relations professional,

with more than two decades of PR experience in the higher education, government

and private sectors. I'm also an experienced literary MC who loves interviewing

authors for Ipswich Libraries. And am honoured to serve as President of

Jigsaw Qld  (since 2020).

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I've written two books / manuscripts - Masters Guide to Wedding

Photography - a non-fiction book, co-authored with acclaimed

Brisbane photographer, Marcus Bell

(www.studioimpressions.com.au). Masters Guide was published

by Amherst Media in New York City in

2007. 

 

The second manuscript is both complete AND a work in

progress...fiction / memoir entitled The Daisy Chain. It's evolving,

and I'm not in a rush for it to do so. 

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I write a lot for work (sometimes), however I hesitate to call myself a writer because I wear a lot of hats, and who needs to 'pen' themselves in? I am interested in reading and writing about the complexities of the human experience. I'm in love with the frailties and failings of us all, that highlight our vulnerability and join us together in one, big, melting pot of captivating, fleshy mush.

 

I have also written feature and news articles for a variety of publications both in Australia and internationally, designed and created websites and delivered workshops about constructing identity after adoption, writing memoir, finding language to circle trauma and overcoming obstacles to achieve success. I do some media on behalf of Jigsaw Queensland from time to time and more recently you'll hear me interviewed here: BBC's The Digital Human podcast, ABC's Life Matters The Dark Legacy of Forced Adoption and Secrets We Keep Podcast - Finding Your Family (10/10/23) with Amelia Oberhardt.

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I have a Doctor of Creative Arts (Creative Writing) USC, Master of Public Relations USQ and a Bachelor of Arts (Journ, Writing) Monash. In 2024, I was awarded a Queensland Alliance of Mental Health (QAMH) Scholarship and completed a Cert IV in Mental Health Peer Work. I also served on the management committee of the Queensland Writers Centre for a bit. 

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I began my life in Brisbane, moving several times - first to a 1200 acre grain farm at Brookstead on the Darling Downs, and then Toowoomba, Nanango and back to Brisbane. I've been with my high school crush, Baden for more than thirty-three years and we've been married for twenty-seven of those. We share our lives with our two beautiful sons (Matt is an incredible remedial massage therapist who is studying to be an exercise physiologist, guitarist & singer (he composed and performed the theme music for Adopt Perspective Podcast) & Sam is still navigating high school with a burgeoning interest in film and media) and a cattle dog, Sutton who hogs our bed and runs the house.

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I enjoy travelling to cold places (I live in a gloriously warm climate and like to shake it up) and enjoy cooking...until I don't. I love to read, but read so much for work that I don't get much time to read for pleasure, so I just collect more to-be-read piles instead. I walk, have the best personal trainer in the business who keeps me sane, enjoy reformer pilates and whinge about it all because of arthritis in my knees...age sucks! I'm an introvert who doesn't appear to be an introvert to those who don't know me well (do people care about this?). My little family are the absolute loves of my life. I can't imagine a world without them. See some pics below - captioned for context.