About Me
My name is pronounced Jen-ev-ra. I am a writer and photographer, and the author of the book: Picture in a Frame. I host a podcast called Better Loud Than Too Late.
I’m working on my second novel, and have been pushing forward with my dream to get my first novel traditionally published. The genre is women’s fiction with elements of romance and magical realism. (I made a divine pact with the universe to let go of when my publishing dream will happen.)
At the start of 2021, I began further studies in writing and publishing at Flinders University.
Being multi-passionate used to overwhelm and frustrate me, but now I feel empowered by it; I’m wildly grateful for my creative flexibility.
I’m a romantic. I love collecting books and vinyl records—I can spend hours in a thrift store. I live in eastern Adelaide, South Australia, and I’m a mum to two boys.
More About My Journey
My name used to be Jennifer Sando. In 2019, I took back my birth name of Genevra Siciliano. My Italian roots are sacred, and although I have only visited Italy once (in 2006), I fantasise about returning. My grandparents and my father came over from Calabria, Southern Italy, but my mother was born in Australia.
I've been a storyteller all my life—although I have not always realised this. Composition had always fascinated me. Throughout primary school age, my favourite pastime was choreographing dances. My ballet school awarded me their choreographer of the year - a new category that they created for me.
There was something satisfying about the process of adding, chopping and changing elements in order to tell a story. My grades in English were average and I barely passed high school, but I was immersed in screenwriting for fun.
In the ‘90s, my first creative venture was an online magazine called Livien. I taught myself HTML so I could build my own website. I got married, and began working in IT support and then left that field to become a mother. While raising my first child, I taught myself photography and built a successful business with this craft.
I continued to experiment with side hustles. I ran a membership site for women called The Inspired Woman and I was a retailer for eco products under the name of Borderline Hippy. I built my father’s first online store, Sicilia Coffee, so he could sell his coffee beans. I also sold vintage clothing online and at markets.
I’m an avid music fan. Picture in a Frame would not have happened if I wasn’t hugely dedicated to the band, Pearl Jam. In between photographing weddings, I would shoot and review music gigs.
When I was due to have my second child, I took a much-needed break from photography. During the pregnancy, I wrote the draft of my first novel, Moonstone, which reaffirmed my love and attachment to writing. Shortly after, I became a single mother.
To combat my fear of public speaking, I went live on my Instagram account once a week for seven months. I unwrapped a Baci chocolate and chatted about whatever was on my mind at the time. (This is what led to my podcast venture.) Below is the very first supremely embarrassing Baci episode that I did.