Rachael, both Jilted and Man Drought have such intriguing first chapters, making them impossible to put down. So intrigue me now. Describe the special treat you’ve whipped up for me today.
At home with …
My mum says garden gnomes make a house a home! Are you loud and proud in your love of garden gnomes at home – or a closet gnomer?
I am a HUGE fan of garden gnomes. My granny always had some in her garden and so when I got my own garden (I use the term loosely), I of course bought a few gnomes of my own. All these gnomes were having a perfectly fine life until my son came along a few years later and at about two became obsessed with them. The collection grew quickly because we bought him a cheap gnome whenever we saw one. Unfortunately he insisted on carrying at least one (sometimes two) gnomes around with him wherever he went, which often resulted in serious accidents. We had a gnome hospital and graveyard in our life for quite a few years. Sadly, not many gnomes made it past my son’s early years and our garden today is sadly lacking.
(My fave garden gnome is Jamie Drury! Am I allowed to say that?)
What vegetable (or fruit) have you always wanted to grow at home?
Snow peas. We have done so quite a few years and it is so great to be able to pick a few and enjoy whilst in the garden.
(Agreed. I love slicing them very fine-on an angle-and using them as a garnish and in salads.)
If I came to your home and looked in the refrigerator, what would I find?
Too many things past their use-by date and lots of Diet Coke!
You are such a ‘Stand Out Star’ (hehe, couldn’t resist that one!) If you sorted your wardrobe by colour, what colour would stand out?
(Oh wait, let me guess! Umm…pink?)
Pink would be the predominant colour but sadly, I don’t sort ANYTHING!!!
What are you wearing now? (Be honest!)
Comfy black yoga pants and a stripey Bonds tee. Not planning on going out again today, not that I’d necessarily dress up more if I was – lol
If you were to housesit someone else’s home, whose home would it be and why?
My Aunty and Uncle’s holiday house in Queenstown NZ. It’s halfway up a mountain, overlooking the lake and quaint tourist town- I love it!
(That would be ‘One Perfect Night’ then, eh?)
Country curiosities…
We love a sunburnt country (slip, slop, slap and all that). What’s your ideal hat? Or are you a boots person?
I actually really love wearing caps!!! Have done since I was a wee lass. In year seven one of the boys and I had this thing going – both of us always wore caps and we’d always say to each other, “You’re not so good without your cap!”
If you were a tree (or animal) what kind of tree (animal) would you be?
I would like to be a cat! In a good house. I reckon those cat’s have it good. Mine is in bed (mine) like twenty-three hours a day!
Now for the big question… Why did the chicken cross the road?
Because the grass is greener on the other side!?
About you…
Your turning point: when was that point in your life that you realized that being an
author was no longer going to be just a dream but a reality and a career?
When I signed my first contract!!! And then when I got my first REAL deadline – writing a book my publisher had already bought. EEK!! It’s scary on this side of the fence!
What is the hardest part of writing for you?
The last third of the book. It seems to flow until then and I’m quite happy with what I’ve written but when I hit this point, I always start doubting my ability AND the book’s excitability!
If someone was to write your biography, what do you think the title should be?
The Night Woman – cos I have night terrors and this freaks me out a lot. It freaks out my husband too! But at night, I feel almost like I have no control over myself. This sounds scary and it is, but it would make an interesting book.
What question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question?
Can’t think of anything. See I’m really very boring!
Fun stuff …
What does your protagonist think about you? Would he or she want to hang out with you, the author, his/her creator.
My protagonists love me cos I give them life!!! Although sometimes they want
to throttle me because of the things I throw at them, but they are all very
forgiving.
If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional, with whom would it be?
Kate Middleton – hehehe, have always had a thing for Prince Will!
(Well, right now you’d have to have a thing for morning sickness! Poor girl.)
If I said to you, “Just entertain me for five minutes, I’m not going to talk,” what would you do?
Log you onto Facebook!
(Well, at least you won’t leave me ‘Jilted’!)
What food would you be?
Red velvet chocolate cake with cream cheese icing!
What was the best thing before sliced bread?
Books
How weird are you? Rate yourself on a scale of 1 (not) to 10 (very).
5
(You are so NOT average, Rach.)
Find out more about Rachael and her books below.
And, in case I haven’t plugged Rachael’s books enough, we are giving away a copy of Man Drought!
Leave a comment, telling us what you do that freaks out your partner/kids/parents/etc.
And… If you enjoyed this interview, there are loads to come over the summer, autumn and winter harvests. While you’re here, why not do as Rach does and subscribe to my blog so I can deliver blog excerpts straight to your INbox.
(See SUBSCRIBE option – top right of this page)
The winning comment will be announced here one week following this blog post.
Until then, post away.
Giveaway closed: The winner of Man Drought is Lily Malone. (Winner chosen by independent reader (aka house guest) and decision based on … and I quote… “how desperately she sounds like she want the book.” I had to agree!
Thank you everyone for dropping by.
Blog – www.rachaeljohns.wordpress.com
Website – www.rachaeljohns.com
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Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rachael-Johns/260103224001776
I loved this interview, and Jenn I love all your little responses inserted here and there, you are very clever 😉
In answer to the question, I’d have to say housework. On seeing me armed with the vacuum cleaner (which isn’t often), my son would be likely to say: “What on earth are you doing?” or “What is that strange contraption you’re lugging around?”. Definitely freaky. Even freakier would be seeing ‘him’ lugging around the strange sucking device. 😉
I’m completely with you Juliet! Life is short… why waste it doing housework!??
Definitely! Although I would like a tidier house, I just don’t want to do the tidying!
Love the look of ‘Man Drought’ – great cover. Bet the inside is even better. And yes, your comments are fun – and funny, Jenn – brilliantly done, both of you. As your freaking out my partner – he says I often start sentences then leave them unfinished. Perhaps annoyed better explains how he feels.
Thanks so much Rae – I LOVE that cover too. So far the cover fairies have VERY much blessed me. LOL on leaving sentences unfinished!!!
Annoying – yes, Rae. But I do it too. I think it’s a writer thing. It’s how our heads work.
Hi Rachael and Jenn.
Lovely interview. I’m going to cross everything and hope I freak you out enough to win the freebie of Man Drought… so here goes! I have two things that freak hubby out. One is using an epilator on my legs. He finds the concept of some electric tweezer thingy picking individual stubble just horrifying and has no idea why I do it to myself… I keep trying to get him to man-up and let me have a go at his shin. So far, no such luck. The kids find the epilator pretty freaky too. But the REAL freak material for hubby is (and apparently I’m not alone here girls), it has never bothered me to squeeze a zit, like cause-a-super-volcano-explosion zit. Now preferably, these are not my own zits, and they do have to belong to a significant other – I don’t just accost pimply people in the street. But if hubby ever does happen to have something that requires a-popping – he knows who to call. Zit busters! (Jees I hope my hubby never reads your blog Jenn J.) And I hope you two will both continue to be my FB friends!!?? 🙂
Haha Lily am LOL because I too LOVE squeezing zits!!!! Personally I prefer waxing to epilating – I like my pain over quickly. Good luck in the contest 🙂
You like your pain over quickly? And you write, therefore you edit! Wish there was a waxing version of line edits, rather than the slow, torturous method I’ve just endured. LOL
Hi Jenn and Rach!
What a fun interview. I never picked you as a gnome person, Rach! And I like your taste in gnomes, Jenn. I sat on his knee once (oh, be still my beating heart!)
I talk in my sleep – which freaks my hubby out, he’s never sure if there’s someone in the house or if he shoudl be talking back to me!
Happy New Year!
Cath
Oh a fellow sleeptalker – LOVE it!! And yes, I’m a gnome person almost as much as a cat person 🙂
Great comments and questions actually quite amausing.
Look forward to reading these new books.
Thanks! And yep – if Jenn’s book is half as good as her questions (and I’m sure it will be) then it’s gonna be something VERY special!
Hi! Always interesting to read about your likes and lives!
Thanks Margaret. Jenn asks some curly questions!!
Love the interview (as usual!) and don’t bother putting me in for the giveaway as I already have a copy of Man Drought (and I’m supposed to be writing and it’s distracting me!!).
As to what freaks GW out? I hadn’t realised he ever worried about me flying for a living, but recently I was trying to convince him that driving to Brisbane on his own was pure craziness. He stopped me dead when he retorted, ‘So it’s okay for me to worry every day you go to work, but you can’t stress for two days?’ I knew my sister stressed over my career as she rings anytime an aircraft anywhere on the east coast of Australia has an issue, but I didn’t realise GW felt anything similar… He gets even more brownie points for putting up with me!
Aw that’s sweet of GW. And I get where he’s coming from but I’m glad he’s never mentioned it before. I have a gorgeous pilot friend and his first serious girlfriend said it was him or flying. He loved flying, so she got the toss, but just asking him to choose to me, shows she didn’t get him at all. x
Am adding Man Drought to my TBR. Hubby freaks out about the way I slice tomato with the sharp knife – inwards towards my hand. He has a complete freakout every time about how I’m setting a dangerous example for my 10 yr old. He just doesn’t like me around sharp knives!
Haha – LOVE it!! I bet you’re fabulous with that knife, but I reckon that’s an awesome skill to have. And if hubby’s a little scared… well, probably not a bad thing. Thanks for adding Man Drought – hope you enjoy 🙂
As always, brilliant interview Jenn. The thing that freaks my kids out the most is that I walk around the house in the dark – typical!
Ooh… I was totally reading this and I thought you were going to say: “In the nude…” that would freak my kids out! (Maybe more when they’re older).
HAha – I thought the same as Lily!
Well looky here! Two of my favourite people in one spot…
Jenn, you’re a riot. I loved the way you slipped in those plugs in the perfect spots.
And Rachael, you legend! Look how far you’ve come. I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of Man Drought to add to my Rachael Johns Collection 🙂
Great interview ladies xxx
Aw you are so sweet! Thanks Juanita!! I hope you enjoy Man Drought 🙂
[…] trip. I was lucky enough to completely freak out Jenn J McLeod & Rachael Johns the other day on Author Harvest and I won a copy of Rachael’s new book, Man Drought. So that will be my first Aussie read, and of […]