FROM a single sentence that struck Boya author Rachael Johns three years ago, her new book Talk of the Town was born.
The seed for her latest rural romance novel was planted when she spotted an old, derelict house while jogging in her former hometown, Goomalling.
“A sentence just came into my head and that was ‘she had enough skeletons in her closet, she could deal with a few ghosts’,” Johns said.
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READ NOW“I really liked it and so I started thinking well, I need someone who’s got a past and there’s got to be ghosts involved possibly.”
Johns is set to launch what will be her 10th print book at the Boya Community Centre on Thursday, May 4.
“I’m always a bit nervous when a new book comes out,” she said.
“But my favourite part is seeing all the hard work come to fruition.
“Being a writer, I don’t always love the writing process I’ll admit.
“But just being able to hold a book, it just makes all of the hard work worthwhile.”
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She chose a single dad and dairy farmer (Lawson) as her hero for Talk of the Town who is dealing with issues that come with the job, parenting and from the loss of his wife.
“It’s a story of people learning how to live and love after tragic loss,” she said.
“But I don’t think its too depressing in that way. It shows that it is possible for people to move on and also possible for people to change, because the heroine (Megan) has quite a dark past and she’s running away and trying to start a new life in a ghost town.”
Johns, a mother-of-three, began writing 15 years before she was first published in 2012, and has written 20 books of which 10 are in print and 10 are digital.
“(Before children), I was fitting writing in with uni and then work and everything else in life,” she said.
“And then when I had them I used to write in the times that they would sleep, which was minimal, and I’d write at night and just squeeze my writing in to every available spot.
“Now these days in theory, I’ve got all day everyday to write but I used to do just as much I think when I had to squeeze it in.”
Everyone is welcome to attend and celebrate all 10 of Johns’ print books at the launch to run 6.30-8.30pm at the Scott Street centre.
Nibbles and wine will be provided, and books will be available to buy and be signed, as well as lucky door prizes.
RSVP for the launch at talkofthetownlaunch.eventbrite.com.au.