What to Read Wednesday with Rachael Johns and giveaway

I’m so excited for this installment of What to Read Wednesday! Please help me welcome author Rachael Johns. She’s visiting to share a wonderful guest post about why she writes what she writes. She’s also sharing her latest release JILTED. I just love the cover and the blurb…sounds like a winner. And, don’t forget to sign up for her wonderful giveaway at the end of the post.

Take it away Rachael…

Why I write rural romance!

By Rachael Johns

In Australia today one of the biggest selling fiction genres is RURAL ROMANCE. I suppose this genre is quite similar to the small town cowboy romances that people have been devouring for years, in that they are set in rural communities and populated by men and women who work the land.

But why did I set out to write rural romance?

Almost eight years ago my country boy hubby and I upped and moved from Perth to the sticks. We landed in the small country town of Kojonup in Western Australia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kojonup,_Western_Australia) and spent a fabulous six years there. Of course, you’re never a local in a country town until you’ve lived there about 37 years but that doesn’t mean we weren’t welcomed. Kojonup very much felt like home when we left six years later.

Although always a city girl, I’ve grown to love living in a country town, the community spirit, the fact everyone knows everything about everyone – not always a good thing – and the way people look out for each other.

We now live in Goomalling, Western Australia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goomalling,_Western_Australia), an even smaller rural community, but the characteristics of a rural community are strong in both towns. Let no one ever say rural Australia is DEAD! When I launched my first book, the Goomalling Community Resource Centre offered to help – they put on a fabulous spread of food and so many locals came to offer their support. That’s what living in a country town is about. Looking out for each other, encouraging and supporting through good times and bad and being proud of residents’ achievements.

I love that when I go to the local shop (which we happen to own), I pretty much knew everyone. I love the community events – the fundraisers, movie nights, agricultural shows and the revival of the local theatrical society, which was the actual event that inspired me to write JILTED (out now with HQN).

I could go on about my experiences living in rural communities all day – the time my hubby’s work place (the Kojonup Co-op) burnt to the ground in the middle of the night and the whole town was out in their pyjamas watching, the time a plane crashed in our friend’s paddock, the experiences my children get that they wouldn’t get in the city – but I won’t do that to you.

I just wanted to say that THIS is why I chose to write rural romance. Because I love living and reading country! I want to convey the wonderful experiences that I’ve had living in a country town to readers all across Australia, and hopefully now, the world!

JILTED Blurb:

She left him at the altar, but her heart was always his…

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’s 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?

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20579303-jilted

Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2014/03/now-booking-tasty-virtual-book-tour-for_1882.html

Buy Links

Barnes and Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jilted-rachael-johns/1115203403?ean=9780373779369

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Jilted-Rachael-Johns-ebook/dp/B0083SNYI6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1394949773&sr=8-2&keywords=jilted

Author Info

Rachael Johns is an English teacher by trade, a mum 24/7, a supermarket owner, a chronic arachnophobic, and a writer the rest of the time. She rarely sleeps and never irons. She writes contemporary romance for HQN and Carina Press and lives in rural Western Australia with her hyperactive husband and three mostly-gorgeous heroes-in-training. Rachael loves to hear from readers and can be contacted through her website at www.rachaeljohns.com.