Bio
Selena has a background in banking, marketing, copywriting, and sales and has created and owned several businesses. She loves fiction writing and writes in several genres, including women’s fiction, teen fiction, and fantasy, but has always written non-fiction professionally for newsletters, blogs, websites, and other marketing materials as part of her career.
In 2013 she completed the Diploma of Professional Book Editing, Proofreading and Publishing, and used this to create one of her businesses Mark My Words, which at that time provided writing and proofreading services to business owners.
In 2020 under the pseudonym Selena Jane, she published her debut fiction novel Search for the Holy Whale, a coming-of-age story about the importance of our connection to animals and Mother Earth.
Nominated for the BX Business Awards in 2021 and 2022 for her content and copywriting business, Selena is passionate about empowering business owners to share their passion project with the world through creative content.
Selena fulfilled the role of Website Content Manager for the Gold Coast Writers’ Association for the years 2020 to 2023 and has recently been voted into the role of Publicity Coordinator. She has been on the panel of judges for the association’s short story competition for the past two years.
Her short story titled Angel Wings are Precious Things, was accepted into the Rainforest Writing Retreat’s Got Game? anthology and was published in April 2023.
A mother, business owner, world traveller, animal lover, marathon runner and avid reader, Selena appreciates a well-written book, with great characters and a good story line.
She is enjoying the journey from writer to author and is currently working on Whatever! This is the 90s, Two Wrongs, and Luna’s Gift.
You connect with her on Facebook, Instagram or Linkedin.
About Selena Jane
Where it all began. England
I’m a Gold Coast author now, basking in the hot Australian sun, but I was born in freezing cold Loughborough, England.
I grew up near a disused quarry which had been turned back into a nature reserve. It was a place where adventures happened, and young imaginations soared. The winter played into my entrepreneurial side. I’d make mud pies, write short stories, and make perfumes from rose petals to sell to the neighbours. In the summer, we’d climb trees to search for colourful eggs in bird's nests, skip around the lake to see the swans, feed the ducks, marvel at skating insects, and have a good poke around in the water beneath. My favourite pastime was collecting frogspawn. Oh, the wonder of nature, to relish in watching those squidgy black tails disappear and wait patiently for those busy frogs' legs to emerge. It's no surprise that I became a huge David Attenborough fan from a young age. To this day, I'm obsessed with lakes and have made it my mission to visit as many as I can. My favourite so far is Lake Tahoe in North America.
My other playground was the steam train line, which ran directly behind our house. I picked blackberries for my mother's blackberry and apple crumble, lined the train tracks with pennies for squashing, and ran from cranky train drivers.
South Africa
At age 12, an opportunity to live in South Africa became a reality for my family, and I was taken away from my childhood paradise. But I fancied myself as Scarlett O'Hara from Gone with the Wind, my favourite movie at the time, and became sold on the idea.
Yes, I know the wrong country and the wrong time, but I was young and very naïve. Of course, the reality couldn't have been further from the truth, and I entered a world which differed greatly from the one I had known.
Australia
I have travelled extensively throughout my life and have lived in Australia on and off for the past 20 years.
I live with my Aussie husband, two children, and as many animals as I can squeeze onto our small acreage on the Gold Coast in Queensland. My husband has banned me from taking in any more animals. I can’t blame him. At one time or another we've had dogs, birds, guinea pigs, chickens, ducks and, Loki the cat who rules them all. Home is where I do most of my writing, and it's where I completed my debut novel, Search for the Holy Whale, a coming-of-age novel for teenagers.
I'm also a runner and have completed two full marathons and two half marathons. Running is where I come up with my best ideas; you'll be surprised at what you see out there.
Reading is so important to me, I really appreciate a well-written book, with great characters and a good storyline. I know it sounds cliché, but meditating is also a big part of my life.
I've also been writing fiction for many years for pleasure and writing non-fiction professionally as part of my career. While raising our children, I studied editing and proofreading, and my first business was born, Mark My Words, which provided writing and proofreading services to business owners.
I’ve always been creative
I started Selena Jane as a solo creative, and virtual assistant, to help small business owners, entrepreneurs, and busy professionals find and fix the money and time leaks in their business. I have since partnered with other professionals to add to my skill set and bring more services to our clients.
Here at Selena Jane we aspire to empower business owners to share their passion project with the world through creative content and virtual assistance.
We love helping business owners who are struggling to reap the financial rewards they deserve from their business.
Just like you I’m a business owner and over the years I’ve worn many hats. I know what it takes to succeed in business
I've worn many hats whilst running several businesses over the years by myself, and with partners, building them in to successful businesses. I know the pitfalls and I know how hard it can be to find the time to work on your business as opposed to in it. The little things, which add up to big things, can often get missed.
I have a background in banking, marketing, creative writing, and sales. I’ve created and owned several businesses and have been working in the professional space alongside passionate and dedicated business owners for the past 30 years.
Here at Selenajane.com we are in the business of doing good by helping businesses thrive and grow. I'm passionate about advising business owners on how they too can build better more sustainable businesses.