All About Jo

summer 2022Hello! I’m Jo Cotterill and I write books for children and young people. Some random things about me:

1. I live in Oxfordshire.

2. I have two daughters who make me laugh every day and give the best hugs.

3. I love cheese. And chocolate. And CAKE. Cake seems to be very important to writers. When we meet up, there is almost always cake involved.

4. I love the Great British Bake Off and Strictly Come Dancing. When I was younger I studied ballet, jazz and tap dance, so I’d love to have a go at ballroom one day.

5. One of my previous jobs was being a fireworks technician. I got to wear a hard hat and a boiler suit with my name on it, and I got very close to explosives and it was frightening and fun all at the same time.

6. When I was a teenager, I didn’t write a lot of stories. Instead, I wrote a lot of music. And I played flute, piccolo, alto saxophone, piano and violin. Nowadays I can’t play them all very well (because being good at something takes practice and I don’t do it any more!) but sometimes, I still write songs.

7. I love talking to kids about books and stories. They have the BEST ideas.

8. I love starting a story and not really knowing where it’s going. For me, the magic of writing is not knowing what’s going to come out of your imagination next.

9. One of the nicest things about being an author is being friends with other authors who are just as bonkers as you are.

10. I have won the following awards: The Hampshire Book Award, the North East Book Award, the Coventry Inspiration Book Award, the Oxfordshire Book Award, the Stockport Children’s Book Award, the Tower Hamlets Book Award and the Fantastic Book Awards. Awards are lovely things because it’s nice to get prizes, but the best thing about them is knowing that lots of young people liked your made-up stuff.

20 thoughts on “All About Jo”

  1. Hi Jo I recently read one of your books called Jelly. I found it really gripping and was up till ten at night reading it – where do you get your ideas from?! I can’t wait to read another one of your books!

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  2. Merhaba Jo. Bu gün Limon Kütüphanesi’ni okudum. Gerçekten çok akıcıydı. Okurken kaç kez ağladığımı bilmiyorum. 34 yaşındayım ve kitabı sayfamda paylaşıp, tavsiye ettim dostlara. Türkiye de yaşıyorum. Okul öncesi için bir hikaye kitabı hayalim vardı. Hikayesini bitirdim. Senin de okuyup fikrini almayı çok isterdim. Eminim yorumların çok şey katacak. Sevgilerimle. Nurcan

    Reply

    1. Dear Nurcan, I’m so glad you enjoyed A Library of Lemons! And how lovely that you’re writing your own books too. Sadly I can’t offer to help because I don’t read Turkish! But I wish you very much luck with it 🙂 Jo x

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  3. hello jo.
    I’m writing from Turkey destiny.
    I have now finished the lemon library.
    It was a really impressive book.
    I also love to read books, I hope I will have the opportunity to meet you one day.
    Take care of yourself.
    (✿^‿^)

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  6. Good afternoon Miss! My name is Dariana, I’m 13 years old, I’m from Romania 🇹🇩 and yesterday I bought one of your books. It’s called Lemons, books and friends. I can say that I’m just like Calypso : alone, loves books, quiet but happy with who I am. I’m glad to read your book (imagine that one of my clasmate that hates books recommended to me) . I’m sorry if I’m bothering you with this message but I can’t believe the fact that I can talk to a writter and I just…wanted to talk to you! Have a good day Miss! ☺️

    With love,

    Dariana

    Reply

    1. Dear Dariana

      Thank you for your kind message! I didn’t know that in Romania my book’s title is Lemons, Books and Friends – I love that! In the UK it’s called A Library of Lemons. In Germany it’s called A History of Lemons. I’m so glad that you’re enjoying the book – and how funny that your classmate recommended it to you when they hate books! I feel very lucky 😉

      Very best wishes to you, and I hope the sun is shining where you are today.

      Jo x

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  7. hey jo! I‘ m from Germany but I try to write this message in english: When I read your book „A libary of lemons“ (in German „A story of the lemon“) , I cried (like Mae everytime). It was very sad but it helps me so much. It‘s a great book! And I love the books you mentioned. (Anne of green gables and counting by seven are my favourite books)

    your‘ s

    Mariam

    Reply

    1. Guten Tag, Mariam! Danke fur deine…er…message! (I studied German at school but it was a very long time ago!) I’m so glad you enjoyed my book. I never expected that my little story about girls, books and lemons would travel so far. It’s available in twelve different languages now! Sending you a big shiny hug from England. Jo x

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      1. Hello Jo, your german was almost right (it has to be „Danke für deine Nachricht“). I study english at scool, but your German is better than my English. Wow, I never exspectet that you answer too me. That´ s so cool! Thank you for writing such a great book 💗

        Mariam x

  8. Hello Jo,

    Can you remember Mariam from Germany,she’s my best friend in school . I also road your book and yesterday i road over 60 pages. I was crying also.It is the best book have ever read. We will present the book at school ,because it is so good.

    Best wishes Fiona

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  9. Now I also write here, because I don‘t know if you can read this on the other page 😅. But I love your book ,,A Libary of Lemons‘‘. Is it possible do send me a sticker with an autograph on it?
    Dear wishes, Yours, Tim (Bavaria, Germany, A friend from Fiona and Mariam 😉 )

    Reply

  11. h hi Joe I just read your book Lemon library it was really, really nice book I have ever read. You know how I get your book. My son teacher gave it to him to read and he brought it home. I was interested in it cause of its name what does it want to say? Lemon library and I started to read. I really really like it. I congratulate you for writing this book.

    Reply

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