New Book, New Tattoo, New Giveaway
JUNE NOVELIST NOTES 📝
Dear Book Besties
Even though it’s technically still June, this is the first newsletter in my new regime (of two newsletters a month) and I’ve got lots of goodness to share from the last month of my life. There are SO many highlights, it’s hard to know where to start, so I’ll begin at the end.
Last week, I started my new novel - SOMEONE ELSE’S FORTUNE - tentatively scheduled for release October 2026. That’s if I meet my December deadline. It’s always exciting AND scary starting a new book. I’m never sure if my premise is strong enough or if I can do it all over again, but the idea is still so full of joy and promise as well. While I don’t want to give too much away just yet, I will say this book involves a missing lotto ticket, a semi-estranged mother-daughter relationship, a fortune teller, and uses a literary device I love to read but haven’t tried to write myself yet! I think it’s good to challenge my writing muscles in a different way with each book I write.
I SHOULD HAVE was hoping to start writing when I was away in the middle of the month on a writing retreat on Rottnest with three of my good author buddies -
Some might wonder why I need to go on a writing retreat when this is my full time job and I have a beautiful office at home in which to do it in. Some might be right…
It might not be a NEED exactly but this intense writing time with people who understand the pressures of the industry as well as I do, both refills the well and motivates. Usually on a writing retreat, I get at least twice as much achieved as I would during the same amount of time at home. While we do spend a lot of time working on our manuscripts, there’s also important time for (eating cheese, drinking wine) sharing ideas, fears, hopes, etc.
One day when we were all sitting in a booth at Dome cafe, four laptops on the table in front of us, I glanced at Rach T’s screen and saw she used a writing program called Scrivener (which I’ve heard a lot about and did tentatively experiment with YEARS ago). I said, ‘You used Scrivener?’ She said, ‘You DON’T use Scrivener?’ The other two both said they didn’t either and Rach T was gobsmacked: ‘How do you write a book WITHOUT Scrivener?’
Of course, this made me start to wonder if I DID need Scrivener again (I’m easily led) and so I redownloaded it and have been having a bit of a play, but I’m still unconvinced that it suits me any better than good old WORD. (If you’re wondering what the hell Scrivener is,
and I interviewed about it and you can watch here.I can’t recommend Rottnest Island enough as a perfect place for a writing retreat (except the ferry was a bit rocky on the way home as a massive storm came in). We stayed in a cottage with room enough for us all to have space to write, a short distance from the settlement so we could fetch Diet Cokes (and coffee for the others) whenever we needed. Even in winter with rainy days, there were great opportunities to go for a walk and explore the many gorgeous parts of the island. We dined in some nights and enjoyed a dinner at the pub and another at one of the restaurants. Not to mention the quokkas!! We’re hoping to make this retreat an annual thing.
Oh and Rach T and I also got a massage ;)
On the home front, my middle son accepted his offer to Melbourne University and is starting engineering there next month!! I’m so excited for him and can’t wait to visit (as if I needed another excuse to visit one of my favourite cities).
As if all the above isn’t exciting ENOUGH, my gorgeous reader, Emily, got a TATTOO for THE LUCKY SISTERS. See her in-progress shot and the final result below. She got this after I mentioned at the Rachael Johns Book Club Retreat last month that if I sold 50,000 copies of THE LUCKY SISTERS (out October), I would get a butterfly tattoo! If you want to help me achieve this dream you can pre-order the book now and go into the draw to win a Kobo Clara e-reader and a beautiful butterfly necklace (keep reading for more info).
I also did an event last Thursday with WA author
at Bassendean library where we discussed out latest novels. Hers is a fabulous historical fiction novel called, THE DISTANCE BETWEEN DREAMS. It was a sold out event and I enjoy NOTHING more than talking to and meeting readers.My publicist is currently finalising the tour for THE LUCKY SISTERS and my wonderful assistant
is designing me a FANTASTIC new website, so I will have lots more to share very soon.I’ve also recorded a ZILLION podcasts this month for
and , so be sure to check them out if you haven’t already.This month is ALL about the writing (touch wood) with one trip to NSW for the Riverina Readers’ Festival. I can’t wait - let me know in the comments if I’ll see you there!
Until next month,
Happy Reading,
Rach! x
HAPPY SNAPS - This month in author life
BOOK NEWS - don’t miss out!
The first two episodes of MEANWHILE IN MOUNT MERRY-GLEN (my serialised small town, rural romance) are now available to read for FREE here!
RACH LOVES - My Substacks, tech & snacks
Smart Romance - Rena Rani who writes this Substack if quickly becoming one of my fave Substackers. She critiques romance novels in the kind of way normally reserved for literary novels and her posts are so well researched and thought out. Her post on fabulous lines really made me feel proud of romance writers.
Kobo E-Readers - in my mission not to feed the Amazon beast, I’m trying to change my book buying habits a bit. So, even though I have a Kindle, I recently bought a Kobo Clara Colour and it’s FANTASTIC. I’m trying to read more digitally as my office is (once again) becoming overrun with print books, so I bought the Kobo to help with this.
Hopeless Romantics Pod where the delightful Ash London interviews me about ALL THE THINGS.
Lipton’s Peach Iced Tea - I’m NOT a tea drinker at ALL, but our massage therapist on Rotto gave us this iced tea (heated up) after our massage and OMG, I’m hooked.
MEET RACH - Come say hi!
✨12th July 2025
Riverina Readers Festival, NSW
LEARN MORE
✨1st - 3rd August 2025✨
Kimberley Writers Festival, WA
LEARN MORE
✨15th - 17th August 2025✨
Romance Writers of New Zealand Conference
LEARN MORE
✨22nd - 24th August 2025✨
Romance Writers of Australia Conference
LEARN MORE
✨5th September 2025✨
Beverley Public Library, WA
10:30am - 12:30pm
Please book by calling the library on 9646 1600
✨21st October 2025✨
Chapel Farm Winery, Middle Swan
6.30pm - 8pm
Tickets available here.
✨7th - 9th November 2025✨
Sunshine Coast Fiction Festival, QLD
LEARN MORE
Soo envious of your writer’s retreat! And omg if a reader tattoo isn’t #1 author goal I don’t know what is – that’s incredible! Cheering you to the 50K. Also – I’m WORD all the way, and can’t imagine ever changing! Happy writing! xx
Love reading all your news Rach. This newsletter buzzes with energy. I have no doubt you’ll soon be getting a new tattoo. 😍