Joanne Fischmann (néeGibson,[1] bornc. 1943 inSwanville, Minnesota[2]) is an American writer, using the pen nameJoanne Fluke.[3] She is best known for hercozy mystery series surrounding a small-town baker, Hannah Swensen.[4]Six movies for theHallmark Channel have been created based on her Hannah Swensen series.[1] Fluke is also known for makingchocolate chip cookies for her readers.[5] Fluke has written under the pseudonyms John Fischer, R.J. Fischer, Jo Gibson, Chris Hunter, Gina Jackson and Kathryn Kirkwood.[6]
Fluke has been baking since she was a child and comes from a long line of bakers.[1]
According to the author's website, "While pursuing her writing career, Joanne has worked as a public school teacher, a psychologist, a musician, a private detective’s assistant, a corporate, legal, and pharmaceutical secretary, a short-order cook, a florist’s assistant, a caterer and party planner, a computer consultant on a now-defunct operating system, a production assistant on a TV quiz show, half of a screenwriting team with her husband, and a mother, wife, and homemaker."[7]
Fluke is married to television writer Ruel E. Fischmann[2] and lives with her husband, children and stepchildren in southern California.[7]
In the 1980s, Fluke began writing young adult horror stories under the name Jo Gibson.[1]
Fluke began writing her cozy mystery series starring Hannah Swensen, an "amateur sleuth and baker", in 2000.[1] The idea for the series came out of Fluke's desire to create a cookbook, and her editor's suggestion that she write a cozy mystery series.[8] Fluke combined the two ideas by including recipes in the series.[8] Hannah Swensen lives in a smallMinnesota town, and Fluke feels that the stories are a welcome escape from reality.[9]Library Journal writes that the depiction of the story inCinnamon Roll Murder is so natural, it is difficult to remember that the characters are fictional.[10]Booklist praised her plot-twists inDevil's Food Cake Murder.[11] Her book,Wedding Cake Murder, sees Swensen getting married and solving a crime in the same story.[12]
Fluke has been published under several pseudonyms, including Jo Gibson, Chris Hunter, John Fischer, R.J. Fischer, Kathryn Kirkwood and Gina Jackson.[6]
