SPOTLIGHT ON… Aussie Rural Novelist: Rachael Johns
RACHAEL JOHNS
1. Describe yourself in one word:
Chirpy
2. The best thing about being a wordsmith:
Getting to play God with my characters! And wear my pjs and work in bed (sorry that’s three things).
3. You wish you wrote:
Bridget Jones’ Diary
4. If you weren’t writing, what would you be doing?
Working in our family supermarket (reality); on the stage in the West End (fantasy).
5. Favourite fictional character:
Bridget Jones
6. If you were a character in a novel, you’d be:
Elizabeth from Pride & Prejudice (I’d put up with Mrs Bennet for a mother-in-law if I got to shack up with Mr Darcy. Phwoar!!!).
7. What book has changed your opinion/stance on something important to you, and why?The Four Ingredients cookbooks. I LOVE food, it’s VERY important too me but I always thought cooking required a bit of effort. I recently found out this is not the case J
8. The one author you would you spend your last $20 on?
Lisa Jewell
9. Biggest accomplishment to date:
Professionally – selling JILTED overseas to HQN and winning an ARRA Award earlier this year. Personally – my gorgeous family!
10. What’s next for you?
OUTBACK DREAMS releases in October and is the first in a series of books set in fictional Bunyip Bay. So many readers asked me if there’d be a sequel to Man Drought or Jilted making me realise how popular linked books are, so I wanted to give the readers what they wanted. Hopefully everyone will love revisiting the characters of Bunyip Bay in OUTBACK DREAMS, OUTBACK BLAZE and OUTBACK GHOST!
11. What attracted you to writing about rural Australia?
At a time when rural romance was booming, the story idea I had happened to be set in a small town. I didn’t really think I was rural enough – not being a farmer or farmer’s wife – but I loved living in a small rural community and I find the dynamics in such paces fascinating. It was that which I wanted to explore. Besides that, I loved READING rural-set books so it seemed to make sense to write one.
12. Do you have a background in rural Australia?
I grew up in the city (Sydney, then Perth) but married a country boy. We moved to a small rural community nine years ago and have not looked back. I love living in the country and cringe when I think about maybe having to move back to suburbia one day. Right now we operate our town’s supermarket and the people that walk through the door continually offer inspiration for my writing.
13. What’s one thing you’d like readers to know about the rural romance genre?
It rocks! And aside from that, I think one thing about rural romance is the huge variety of stories. There’s a big spectrum from stories that are very rural with only a small bit of romance to stories where romance is more the focus than the rural. I’d say I fall at that end of the spectrum. Romance is definitely my first love!
JILTED by Rachael Johns:
After more than ten years away, Australian soap star Ellie Hughes returns to the small country town of Hope Junction, determined to remain anonymous while caring for her injured godmother, Matilda. But word spreads fast in the tight-knit community. It isn’t long before the people of Hope are gossiping about the real reason for Ellie’s visit and why she broke the heart of golden boy Flynn Quartermaine all those years ago. Soon Ellie and Flynn are thrown back together again, forced to deal with the unresolved emotions between them. For Ellie is not the only one with secrets. Flynn has his own demons to battle, and Matilda is hiding something from her much-loved goddaughter.
When all is uncovered, can the ill-fated lovers overcome the wounds of their past? Or is Flynn destined to be jilted again? Purchase your copy of JILTED here.
Find Rachael online at:
Website: www.rachaeljohns.com
Facebook: here
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachaelJohns
JOIN ME TOMORROW AS WE CHAT WITH JENNIE JONES ABOUT HER DEBUT NOVEL, THE HOUSE ON BURRA BURRA LANE
Love your cover for Man Drought in particular, Rachael! It’s lovely. And I agree–linked books are wonderful, especially when you fall in love with the secondary characters and the place as well as the hero/ine. Best wishes for your series! Cheers!
Oh thanks so much Susanne! I only JUST got my cover for my next book and I cannot WAIT to share it!!
I’ll vouch for the chirpy description!
Now, did I hear you use the term “Phwaor” there, Rach? Tsk, tsk. You KNOW there is only one Phwoar man out there, and that’s the sexpot that is Chris Hemsworth. Phwoar Thor!