14 Years of Rachael Johns

And a quick favour, please!

On April 1st – YES, April Fool’s Day – I quietly celebrated (by writing, of course!) my 14th anniversary since receiving my first-ever offer of publication. I know – I can’t believe it’s been that long either! Time really does fly when you’re having fun.

To mark the milestone, I thought I’d share 14 highlights from these amazing years in publishing (in no particular order)…

📚 Holding my first book – Well, my second technically (the first was digital-only). JILTED was the first I could hold in my hands and spot in shops. I looked like such a baby in the photos! And yes, it’s still just as exciting when a new cover lands or I spy my books on shelves.

📖 Library & bookstore events – I’ve lost count, but every single one has been a joy. Meeting readers, librarians and booksellers is a highlight of the job. Special mention to the Rockingham WA librarians who made a dress out of my book covers!

🏆 ABIA win – In 2015, THE PATTERSON GIRLS won the Australian Book Industry Award for General Fiction. My little book baby was up against books by big guns Michael Robotham, Fiona McIntosh and Kate Morton (I KNOW!!). You could have knocked me over with a feather when they called my name and title.

💞 RUBY Awards – Winning my first Romance Writers of Australia RUBY for THE PATTERSON GIRLS (and later JUST ONE WISH).I’ve been a member of Romance Writers of Australia 19 years and had been watching people win this award since before I was published. These wins truly were dreams come true.

🎤 Meeting Jimmy Barnes – We both spoke to booksellers at Harper Collins about our upcoming books. He was so nice and quite possibly the most famous person I’ve met (though fangirling over Nora Roberts is a close second).

💌 Reader letters – One of my favourite emails ever was from a reader who after reading THE GREATEST GIFT had decided to have a baby on her own, via sperm donation. Another was from a woman who told me she’d left her husband after reading FLYING THE NEST. It was a bad marriage and reading Ashling’s story gave her the courage to go after a better, happier life.

📚 Rachael Johns Book Club – I started this group on a whim in 2017 and could never have imagined that it would grow into a wonderful community of almost 7,000 members and that through it I would also get to know one of my closest friends - here’s looking at you

Anthea Hodgson

. Now in addition to the group, we run an annual retreat. The joy, bookish love and friendships that are celebrated that weekend is indescribable.

🧳 Going to Julia Creek – I once did an event in the actual pub from the Crocodile Dundee movie! My books have taken me to the most unexpected, wonderful places.

👑 Being Crowned Miss Golden Sausage – Yes, this happened. After speaking at an event at Elders Merriden I was asked to judge their sausage-making contest (despite being mostly vegetarian). As a thank you they awarded me Miss Golden Sausage - no idea if I’m the only one, or this is an annual thing!

What is the strangest thing you’ve been awarded or given the title of?

🪟 Dymocks Window – Seeing THE OTHER BRIDGET in the flagship George Street store window for a whole week was thrilling. I think THE GREATEST GIFT may have had a window too, but I couldn’t find a photo so maybe I dreamed that?!

📦 Seeing THE ROAD TO HOPE get printed – I took my boys and mum to watch THE ROAD TO HOPE being printed at Griffin Press in Adelaide. It was fascinating seeing this part of the book publishing process. I’d love to see another one of my books come off the press one day.

🌅 Being on Sunrise – In 2014 I was interviewed by Kochie and Nat on Sunrise! Nerve-wracking but exciting. And yes, Kochie was a tad condescending about romance novels (shocker).

💖 My readers – Not a moment, but a massive component of this journey. Knowing you’re out there waiting for my stories still feels surreal. Your enthusiasm (especially those fairy-dressed Big W selfies) makes my heart sing.

👖 Choosing my cover model – Years ago when visiting my publisher, I spotted a hot guy dressed in jeans and a checked shirt (it was casual Friday). I said, ‘Woah, who’s that? He’d look fabulous on the cover of a rural romance and it better be mine!’ Turns out he was the finance director – and eventually he did pose for TALK OF THE TOWN! It was so fun knowing the cover model, Rob and the team did a series of videos showing the making of the cover!

It was very hard to pick just 14 moments. There have been so many wonderful times and special friendships made. I just hope that I can keep doing this for another 14 years.

Thanks for being on this journey with me. If you love my books, please consider voting for your favourite in the Better Reading Top 100 – you’ll go in the draw to WIN all 100 books. Imagine them landing on your doorstep! How long do you reckon it would take to read them all?