Even as a child, I knew I wanted to be an author. I never imagined I’d one day be living in rural Mallorca though.
Aged 11, I sent my first novel, Jimmy – written in my best joined-up writing (which wasn’t that neat, to be honest) – to a major London publisher. Although they didn’t accept my minor masterpiece, they did send me an encouraging letter.
In the decade before moving to rural Mallorca in 2004, I was a radio presenter for both independent and BBC local radio. A bit of a workaholic, I also managed to squeeze some freelance copywriting, PR consultancy work, and occasional TV continuity announcing for Central ITV, into my work schedule. Before all this mania, I worked in PR for a European hotel chain’s UK HQ. To this day, I still love looking around, staying in, and writing about hotels.
The Big Move
Since 2004 I’ve lived in an old finca in rural Mallorca, where nature’s soundtrack of birds, insects, sheep bells, and braying donkeys plays as I write. This was a Big Move for a (then) frequently high-heeled person who’d lived most of her life in a city, town, or large village. I’d never had the slightest urge to live the bucolic life. Now I couldn’t imagine not living in rural Mallorca.
Life in Mallorca
Apart from this blog, I also author another blog relating to food, drink, and places to stay in Mallorca. I love to write about this beautiful island and have contributed Mallorca-related articles to publications including abcMallorca, Majorca Daily Bulletin, The Telegraph (global edition), Living Spain, Food & Wine, and Writers’ Forum. I’ve also contributed to online publications The Business Travel News, A Luxury Travel Blog, Insiders Abroad, Nourish The Guide, and others.
During Spain’s tough lockdown in 2020, I knuckled down to finish the novel I’d been slowly writing for a while.
My Likes, Dislikes, and a Dream
My passions – in no particular order – are cooking, eating out, checking out hotels, Mallorcan wines, walking, being in the countryside, and the various males in my life (most of whom have four legs).
The things I really don’t like are litter, mashed potatoes, graffiti, and eating snails.
My dream is that a publisher somewhere will beg me to turn this blog into a book. Meanwhile, my debut novel Daughter of Deià was published on September 2nd, 2021. Check it out on your local Amazon page here.
On May 5th, 2019, Mallorca Reflections published an interview with me. You can read it here.
Follow me on Twitter @MallorcaJan and on Instagram as @livinginruralmallorca
Email me here.
Jan Edwards©2022 Updated