Jan Henley has written numerous stories and articles for national magazines such as Bella, QWF, New Writer and Writer’s Forum. Six of her novels of contemporary women's fiction were published by Hodder & Stoughton, and three romantic comedies, ‘Moving to the Country’, ‘Drop Dead Gorgeous’ and ‘Love 40’ written under the name of Anna Cheska were published by Piatkus Books.
The Italian Maze, her first novel under the name of Juliet Hall, is a romantic mystery set in Italy and Brighton. It has now been published in hardback and audio by Lubbe in Germany under the title, Das Erbe der Tochter and the paperback is due out in January 2009. The second Juliet Hall novel, The Disappearance, another romantic mystery set in Italy, West Dorset and London, concerns the worlds of art and archaeology and missing persons. It is due to be published in 2009.(see BOOKS).
As well as the UK and Germany, her novels have been published in Greece, Holland and the U.S.A.
In addition to her own work, Jan is an experienced writing tutor, whose expertise has been taken out into the community, as well as through more established channels.
Having graduated from the Open University with a BA Hons. Degree (1st class) in the arts, psychology, literary analysis and creative writing, Jan completed City and Guilds Further and Adult Education Teachers Certificate. Since then she has been working in adult education as a creative writing tutor in West Sussex and on residential writing workshops at Winchester, Missenden Abbey in Buckinghamshire, Alston Hall in Preston and Ty Newydd, Wales, the Welsh ‘Arvon’. She has also run tutorials at the Jubilee library in Brighton and at other venues.
Subjects covered in her workshops include writing short stories, writing comedy, writing from life, developing narrative technique and discovering your creativity. She is a member of NAWE (National Association of Writers in Education). (See WORKSHOPS).
Jan has also worked with library services to promote reading and writing, and with Learning Links to encourage creative expression for the disabled. More recently she has been involved with community groups, fostering the area of writing for personal development. To support this, she has studied for an MA at Sussex University in Creative Writing for Personal Development.
In response to requests from her students, and to fulfil her love of editing, Jan set up an individual manuscript appraisal service some years ago. (See APPRAISALS) It has been gratifying to see writers that she has worked with win competitions and have their novels and magazine pieces published, as well as their plays performed on stage.
Jan, an active member of the West Sussex Writers Club (see LINKS) is available for workshops, talks and readings. She is a frequent judge of writing competitions and is happy to give advice to new writers.
Jan is currently writing her third romantic mystery under the name of Juliet Hall.
