Dear Rach & Soph

‘So I just get this tiny snapshot of extreme humanity at its most tempestuous or its most vulnerable almost … I obviously have had a lifetime of influence of what humans can do when they're pushed to the edge in whatever way. And that obviously has to kind of influence how I see humanity and therefore how I write characters in a way.’Michelle Johnston is the author of THE REVISIONISTS and she is also an emergency physician, so in this me-alone episode (Rachael had lost her voice!) I had questions to ask her about the relationship between those two disciplines and also about the new novel (bio and blurb below). She had many interesting things to say, as I’m sure you’ll agree once you listen/watch!- Sophie***ABOUT MICHELLE JOHNSTONMichelle Johnston is an author and an emergency physician. She is a Staff Specialist at the Royal Perth Hospital Emergency Department, a busy inner-city trauma centre where she works as both clinician and teacher. Michelle's first novel, Dustfall, was published by UWA Publishing in February 2018 and shortlisted for the MUD Literary Prize for a debut novel in 2019. Her second novel, Tiny Uncertain Miracles, was published by HarperCollins in 2022. Her latest novel is The Revisionists, which is an absorbing, unputdownable novel about ambition – and how we curate our own stories and rescript our memories in order to survive.ABOUT THE REVISIONISTSUpper East Side, Manhattan, 2023: Christine Campbell, former journalist, turns on the television to watch a documentary paying homage to her Pulitzer Prize–shortlisted coverage of the unrest in 1999 in the North Caucasus. She is newly widowed, wealthy and attempting to write a memoir celebrating her bold life and significant achievements in writing about the silencing of women during conflict.But truth has a way of resurfacing, even when buried deep beneath money, memory and reinvention. When Dr Frankie Pearson, Christine’s oldest – and estranged – friend, knocks on her door, the pair must reconcile their memories and come to terms with the far-reaching and disastrous decisions they both made over twenty years ago. The Revisionists examines the malleability of memory and the slippery nature of the truth – and the lengths that people will go to avoid facing both. For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.comFor more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.comSubscribe on Spotify Subscribe on AppleSubscribe on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This year Holly Brunnbauer released her first novel, What Did I Miss? - but it is far from her first attempt at writing (and not even her first fiction manuscript). Holly began writing in earnest when she created a blog about motherhood in Melbourne and turned it into an enterprise. That taught her about writing to an audience, and she now assists other authors in understanding how to communicate with their readers (to the point that I asked if she would consider creating a course for it). This part of her story alone would have been enough for a conversation but we got into so much more … and then Holly had questions for us.So it’s a long episode and we cover a lot (A LOT) of ground about writing, publishing and creativity. It was wonderful to meet Holly and have the chance the chat to her.Full episode out now on all podcast platforms, my YouTube and our Dear Rach & Soph Substack (links in bio). ***ABOUT HOLLY BRUNNBAUERHolly Brunnbauer is a multi-award-winning emerging fiction author with numerous accolades in writing competitions across Australia, New Zealand and the US. Holly writes stories filled with heart, humour and hijinks. Her signature style includes a strong commercial voice, quirky cast and putting the 'com' in rom-com. She first caught the writing bug via blogging and later transitioned into copywriting. Holly’s now a sought-after virtual assistant for published and aspiring authors. ABOUT WHAT DID I MISS?Married young. Finally divorced. Turning thirty ...Makayla has many regrets: a Chiko Roll impulse buy, not visiting the Big Pineapple and marrying her high-school dud.Now, newly divorced, determined to hold on to her independence and facing the Big Three-O, Makayla makes a list of all the things she missed out on while her friends were single and running amok in their twenties.But when her one-night stand turns up again, and a revenge plot on her ex spirals out of control, she has to decide if some things are worth missing. And if Makayla can’t sort herself out before her birthday, she might face the biggest regret of her life.A fresh and feisty romantic comedy about what happens when you meet someone special before truly knowing yourself.For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.comFor more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.comSubscribe on Spotify Subscribe on AppleSubscribe on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Renae Black (bio below) was a guest on the first season of Dear Rach & Soph, and at that time we talked about whether or not she needed a literary agent. This time around, we wanted to talk to Renae about how her work in child protection has influenced the stories she writes, including her latest, Second Chance Station. What followed was a discussion in which Renae not only talked about the sorts of stories she wants to tell but also of how writing fiction helped her manage postnatal anxiety after the birth of her second child. While her world felt so out of control, she told us, she could control the worlds she was creating in the novels. We so appreciated Renae’s honesty in discussing this and no doubt someone else will resonate with it or may indeed find it helpful in their own life.The episode starts with a discussion of Rachael’s ‘Diet Coke top’ - it’s quite something, and you’ll have to watch the video version of the episode to see it! You can find that on my YouTube channel or our Substack, dearrachandsoph.substack.com***ABOUT RENAE BLACKRenae Black lives in Queensland with her husband and two young bookworms. By day she works as a social worker within the child protection industry. By night, she escapes to the romantic fictional realms of rural Australia that transport her back to her childhood home, a large property that bred cattle and hosted the odd ostrich sale. Her latest novel is Second Chance Station.ABOUT SECOND CHANCE STATIONA gritty, flirty and uplifting rural romance about taking risks, overcoming the past and standing up for the people you love.Relationships on the station are forbidden ... but are some rules made to be broken?At Windale Mountain Sheep Station there's only one rule: don't sleep with the guests.In her ten years living on the mountain, Indigo Mills has never once thought about breaking the rules. After a childhood of neglect and an adolescence that still haunts her, the opportunity to live and work on the sheep station was a lifesaver - literally - and Indy won't do anything to jeopardise her mountain family and home.That is until Carter Hendrix, the best half-back in the game of professional rugby league, turns up.The Scorpions have come to Windale for a pre-season training camp, fresh off the loss of last year's grand final - a loss Carter's teammates blame him for. Carter's plan is to keep his head down and his sponsors happy so he can continue playing the game he loves.Until he meets Indy. Now is not the time for distractions and Indy is full of reasons why they shouldn't explore their attraction: their vastly different backgrounds, their age gap, the rules. But their chemistry is impossible to ignore. Can Carter prove to Indy that he's worth the risk, or will it all be left on the mountain?For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.comFor more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.comSubscribe on Spotify Subscribe on AppleSubscribe on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

These are the Australian books being released in September 2025 that we know about. There is no one central place to find out about book releases so we rely on authors reporting to us and also on the publishers who have added us to their mailing lists for advance notice of releases (as opposed to newsletters). We hope these episodes help you find a great new book! **NB: This is a Soph-alone episode** Contemporary YATitle: Summer, in BetweenAuthor: Holly CardamonePublisher: Hawkeye Publishing‘Looking for Alibrandi meets Puberty Blues'Thriller/crimeTitle: The Vanishing PlaceAuthor: Zoe RankinPublisher: Moa Press/Hachette ANZ and Berkley USA twisty and daring thriller about how those close to you can be even more dangerous than the deadliest wilderness.Title: The StolenAuthor: Vikki PetraitisPublisher: Allen & UnwinAn unputdownable crime thriller featuring Detective Antigone Pollard from the bestselling author of The Unbelieved.Title: The FarmAuthor: Jessica Mansour-NahraPublisher: HachetteAn eerie psychological thriller, rippling with the Gothic undertones of Rebecca, from a startling new Australian talent. The Farm enthrals from the very first page.RomantasyTitle: A King's FateAuthor: Anneka-Rose BurrellGenre: Epic romantasy Self-pubbedDual POV with a strong FMC and reluctant hero MMCRomance Title: The Swiss Chocolatier: European TycoonsAuthor: Leanne LovegrovePublisher: IndieA chance of a lifetime that could make her career. Or break her heart …General fictionTitle: Very Impressive For Your AgeAuthor: Eleanor KirkPublisher: Allen & UnwinA profoundly relatable debut novel about chasing your dreams and losing your ambition from a stunning new Australian voice.Title: TenderfootAuthor: Toni JordanPublisher: HachetteBy the bestselling, award-winning author of Addition, an exhilarating novel about coming of age in 1970s Australia.For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.comFor more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.comSubscribe on Spotify Subscribe on AppleSubscribe on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When we started doing this podcast it was mainly us talking to each other. Then we started bringing guests onto the podcast and that has taken on its own life. And we certainly love talking to other writers! However, every now and again we go back to talking to each other, thanks to listener/viewer (aka ‘liewer’) Lucinda Ellen, who sent us several great questions. The questions ranged from to write opening chapters to crafting a pitch to developing characters, and some other things too. As this was recorded a little while ago, in the introduction we talk about Rachael writing her serial Meanwhile in Mount Merry-Glen, which she’s now put on pause as she has two - two! - books to write at once. We also talk about the ergonomics of typing and how trying obey SEO rules into Sophie's country music writing made things less fun and she's abandoned it.So, liewers, it’s a mixed bag and that is the way we like it! For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.comFor more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.comSubscribe on Spotify Subscribe on AppleSubscribe on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two guests join me and Rachael Johns in this episode, and they are both fabulous (you can read their bios below). Emma Pei Yin has just released her first novel, When Sleeping Women Wake, and is working on her second. Saman Shad released her second novel, The Sex Lives of Married Women, earlier this year. Something Emma said to me when we first met - about what it was like working on her second novel - sparked the idea for this episode, then Rachael saw something Saman had written on the same subject, so we decided to bring these writers together to talk about it. A note: we recorded this episode on July the 6th, which is a day that has special significance for me - and you’re going to have to watch or listen to our intro to find out why.ABOUT OUR GUESTSEmma Pei Yin is an Australian-Hong Kong Chinese writer and editor. Her work has been featured in several publications. In 2023, she was nominated as Bookseller of the Year. That same year, her manuscript, Chasing Echoes in the Rain, was shortlisted for the Allen & Unwin Voices from the Intersection Mentorship Programme. She lives and works on Ngunnawal Country with her partner and their extremely barky dachshund, Lady. When Sleeping Women Wake is her first novel.Saman Shad is a writer, journalist, and playwright whose storytelling spans stage, screen, and page. In the UK, she was a scriptwriter for BBC Radio, and after relocating to Australia she created programs for the ABC and became a sought-after voice in journalism. Her plays have been commissioned by theatres in both London and Sydney. Her debut novel, The Matchmaker, was published by Penguin Australia in 2023. The Sex Lives of Married Women is her latest novel.For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.comFor more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.comSubscribe on Spotify Subscribe on AppleSubscribe on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patrick Lenton is the author of the book of short stories A Man Made Entirely of Bats (2015), the book of comedic essays Uncle Hercules and Other Lies (2019), and the full length short story collection Sexy Tales of Paleontology (2021). His debut novel, a rom-com called In Spite of You is out now from Pantera Press. And his actual bio is a lot longer than this because he’s a very accomplished individual!Sophie first met Patrick when he was working in marketing at Momentum, which was the digital-only arm of Pan Macmillan books, publishing a lot of romance novels about a decade too early for BookTok. He has always been smart and funny, and his novel is that AND SO MUCH MORE. It is warm and sweet and, yes, spiteful in parts but in a very charming way. We wanted to talk to Patrick about how he used to promote romance novels to the world and now he’s writing them, and we did talk about that, plus a lot more. We recorded this episode a while ago, so there’s mention of launch events that have now past, but we have left them in because everything future becomes the past, so someone watching/listening to this episode next year would have had them in the past anyway.In the intro we discuss the fact that we both read multiple books at the same time - do you? And we also talk about the Rachael Johns Online Book Club, which I encourage you to join if you’re not already a member.For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.comFor more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.comSubscribe on Spotify Subscribe on AppleSubscribe on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Each time one of us releases a book (separately) we devote an episode of Dear Rach & Soph to discussing the book - Sophie will interview Rachael about hers, and vice versa.This latest episode, which we’re releasing as a bonus episode, is about Sophie's new novel, Lessons in Love at the Seaside Salon. There’s a short description below and you can hear Rach read the longer blurb in the episode.We recorded this ep after we’d already recorded another episode so we were possibly a little tired and emotional - certainly Soph goes off on tangents - but, hey, that’s the way things go! You’re not getting our polished selves, you’re getting our real selves, and if you’re a regular ‘liewer’ (listen/viewer) you’ll be used to that. Lessons in Love at the Seaside Salon is out now through Hachette Australia.ABOUT LESSONS IN LOVE AT THE SEASIDE SALONFour women. Four loves. Four life-changing stories. At a little salon by the sea - on the windblown coast of 1980s Australia - four different women with intertwined lives will find themselves through love, heartbreak and learning to love again.For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.comFor more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.comSubscribe on Spotify Subscribe on AppleSubscribe on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the Romance Writers of Australia conference is taking place this weekend, we thought it was a good time to publish the episode we recorded with Amy Barry. Rachael is an expert romance writer; Amy is a romance writer and also an academic expert in romance fiction (her bio appears below).Note from Sophie: I was passenger for most of this episode - to the point that my internet cut out, I dropped out of the Zoom and the conversation continued seamlessly! - but that wasn’t because I was being left out of the chat: it was because I was so fascinated listening to Rachael and Amy discuss romance writing that I felt lucky to be there. Being able to watch experts at work is a privilege, and whether you’re a romance writer or a romance reader - or both - you will, I’m sure, be as interested as I was in what they have to say.NB: We recorded quite a few episodes in a short space of time a little while ago, so our intros are out of order and now out of date, but we are disinclined to not be genuine when we’re recording them, so all we can do is hope you don’t mind! ***ABOUT AMY BARRYAmy Barry is the author of the romance series The McBrides of Montana. She is also Amy Matthews, an award-winning author and Associate Professor in Creative Writing at Flinders University. Amy’s novels have been published internationally and in translation and are available in print, audio and ebook. She has also written under the name Tess LeSue. As an academic, Amy publishes on genre fictions, specifically popular romance, historical fiction, and fictions of climate change. And she has a podcast, Amy &. Her latest novel is Seven Brides for Beau McBride.ABOUT SEVEN BRIDES FOR BEAU MCBRIDEFrom the beloved author of Kit McBride Gets a Wife and Marrying Off Morgan McBride comes a ‘sweet, hilarious and totally delicious’ love story (Hannah Grace). Beau McBride wants a wife, and his meddling little sister Junebug is itching to find him a mail-order bride. But why stop at just one? Beau McBride reckons he’s ready for marriage. But his ego is bigger than his brain, and his little sister Junebug can’t trust him to find the right woman. So they make a bet, both placing ads in the Matrimonial News to find the perfect bride. Junebug is set on winning, but there’s a hitch: Beau has made his pick, and she’s beyond beautiful. Junebug knows looks ain’t everything, so to even the odds she invites six more women to meet her brother. Ellie Neale doesn’t expect much from life. Which is good, since life hasn’t given her much, except a head full of daydreams and her beautiful best friend Diana. But after answering an ad to be a mail-order bride, Diana is leaving for Montana. Ellie is happy for her, really she is ... after all, she was the one who wrote Diana’s letters for her.Ellie can’t bear the thought of losing Diana, so she answers an ad from a man in the same town her friend is headed for. But when they arrive, Ellie and Diana discover they’ve answered an ad for the same husband. Along with five other women. With seven brides vying for Beau’s attention, he needs to make a decision – fast. The only problem is, his heart is pulled to the one woman who wants nothing to do with him.For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.comFor more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.comSubscribe on Spotify Subscribe on AppleSubscribe on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kayte Nunn’s previous books were mostly historical fiction, and there was often an element of intrigue, so the signs were there that she was heading for crime, and it’s a genre that she has taken to like the proverbial duck to water in her latest novel, THE PALAZZO.We loved speaking to Kayte about her decision to switch to crime, and how she came to create the intricate web of story in THE PALAZZO, as well as choose the location. This is a novel that gives you a very satisfying crime story while also completely making you want to go to Italy - so you have been warned. And there’s more about Kayte and the novel below.This episode was filmed a few weeks ago - we banked some episodes due to upcoming commitments - and you’ll hear us talking about Rachael’s serial MEANWHILE IN MOUNT MERRY-GLEN. She has that on pause for a little while but the existing episodes are there for paid subscribers to her Substack. And it’s something of a joint project in that Sophie was her copy editor from the second episode. ***ABOUT KAYTE NUNNKayte Nunn is the internationally bestselling author of seven novels, most recently 2022's The Only Child. They are available worldwide in English, and have been translated into eleven languages.She was brought up in England, lived in the US for a number of years as a child and now calls the Northern Rivers of NSW, Australia home.ABOUT THE PALAZZOThey're all killers, but only one will resort to murder. The stunning new novel from international bestseller Kayte Nunn, for all fans of Lucy Foley and White Lotus.Newly widowed beauty entrepreneur Vivi Savidge's fortieth birthday is fast approaching, and she plans to celebrate it at the Palazzo Stellina, a historic former convent in the foothills of the Italian Alps run by disgraced chef Marco Bianchi and his elderly grandmother.Vivi's little sister, Alice, is flying from Brisbane with her sixteen-year-old twins in tow. Ex-colleague Pete and his new husband, Nick, are coming from Boston, and old friend Caroline is driving from Turin. Every one of them is hiding a shameful secret.Vivi's hopes for a relaxing holiday surrounded by those closest to her are soon overshadowed by an anonymous blackmail threat, and she begins to wonder if someone she thought she could trust might just as easily betray her.Amid a suffocating heatwave, the holiday ignites an explosive cocktail of obsession, jealousy and greed. Before the week is over, secrets will be exposed and the gathering will turn deadly, leaving one victim, a handful of suspects, and a murderer in their midst.For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.comFor more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.comSubscribe on Spotify Subscribe on AppleSubscribe on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

These are the new fiction releases in Australia for August 2025 – that we know about! We’re relying on information from authors and publishers, but not all of them send it to us, so if you’re an author with an upcoming release, please let us know! HISTORICAL FICTIONUntil the Red Leaves Fall by Alli ParkerDaughters of Batavia by Stefanie KoensThe Midnight Estate by Kelly RimmerGENERAL FICTIONThe Life Experiment by Jess KitchingLessons in Love at the Seaside Salon by Sophie GreenThe Visitor by Rebecca StarfordCRIMEStillwater by Tanya ScottROMANCEIn Spite of You by Patrick LentonLights Camera Love by Natalie MurrayIn the Long Run by Emma MugglestoneYOUNG ADULTOnce a Villain by Vanessa LenThe Set-up Girl by Sasha VeyDrift by Pip Harry For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.comFor more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.comSubscribe on Spotify Subscribe on AppleSubscribe on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maya Linnell is a beloved author of seven novels, the latest of which is COCKATOO COVE (blurb below). Her writing life began with journalism, and she worked at a rural newspaper before moving into public relations then into writing fiction as well as blogging for Romance Writers Australia. Maya currently lives in rural Queensland with her husband and three children. We wanted to talk to Maya about her writing life and her fiction, of course, but she also participates in a number of other creative activities - indeed, she lives a rich, full creative life. If you need some creative inspiration, this is the episode for you! ***ABOUT COCKATOO COVEMaggie West has worked tirelessly to prove herself, establishing a successful cattle stud instead of following her father into the crayfishing industry, though it's never enough to stop local speculation about her family's holdings. And with her teenage daughter veering off the rails, she knows all too well that money doesn't provide immunity against heartache or hardship. Since landing in South Australia's picturesque Limestone Coast, Scottish winemaker Fergus Abernathy has gone from strength to strength. But it isn't just the awards that are keeping him in the district; if he can put down roots, perhaps he can persuade his family to join him Down Under. Missing his family back in Scotland, Fergus looks a little enviously at the close-knit West family, until a shocking phone call changes everything. Misunderstandings and long-withheld secrets create roadblocks for Maggie and Fergus, and with a community fundraiser hanging in the balance, it seems they're never destined to be in the right place at the right time. Set in stunning wine country with border collies, rugged coastlines and generous community spirit, Cockatoo Cove is an exceptional tale showcasing the richness of life on the land.For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.comFor more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.comSubscribe on Spotify Subscribe on AppleSubscribe on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We never know where a conversation will go on this podcast, whether it’s us talking to each other or talking to a guest. While questions are prepared, a script is never followed to the letter - we both tend to let conversations go where they go. This conversation with Jess Kitching, author of new novel THE LIFE EXPERIMENT (published by Simon & Schuster - blurb below), went to several extraordinary places as Jess told us her story. At one point Sophie has to ask Rachael to take over because she's crying, so that will give you a sense of it. Jess started writing thrillers; THE LIFE EXPERIMENT is something quite different, a love story that is completely unconventional and thought-provoking. It was inspired by the death of a friend of Jess’s, and that same circumstance also inspired Jess to move to Australia from the United Kingdom, where she was born and lived. There is so much more to Jess’s story, though, and the story behind this novel. Suffice to say that in changing genres, Jess also changed her life, and as is the way of things she may very well change readers’ lives too. You’ll have to read her book to find out, and we hope this conversation will inspire you to do just that. Did you know? Dear Rach & Soph is on Substack! If you’d like to peruse the archive - on video and audio - go to dearrachandsoph.substack.comFor more about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.comRachael's latest book is Outback Reunion (2025) Preorder The Lucky SistersFor more about Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.comSophie's latest book is Lessons in Love at the Seaside Salon (2025)For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.comFor more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.comSubscribe on Spotify Subscribe on AppleSubscribe on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here’s the latest instalment of our ‘writer therapy’ and this time our guest is Ky Garvey (bio below), who volunteered herself for some of the tough love we seem to dish out. Please note we are not therapists! But we are writers (who may need therapy) and as Sophie is also a publisher (who often gives advice to writers) we feel somewhat qualified to talk other writers through any issues they may be having.This episode was recorded quite a while ago - on Mother’s Day, in fact. It’s taken this long to publish because we banked a lot of episodes knowing that we were both heading into writing new manuscripts and would need to concentrate on that. So you’ll hear Mother’s Day mentioned and there’s bonus mention of us talking about whether or not the moon influences tiredness levels, and we also talk about how we can schedule worrying as an activity. ***Ky Garvey is a writer and podcaster based in Brisbane. She is the host of Totally Lit, an award-winning interview style podcast celebrating reading, writing and creating literature. Ky writes shorts stories, is a children’s author and an advocate within the disability and carers space. Her debut picture book, Easy Peasy, was published in 2023 and other writing has been included in several anthologies and recognised in several writing competitions. In 2024, Ky launched the Inaugural Totally Lit Micro Fiction Prize.  For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.comFor more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.comSubscribe on Spotify Subscribe on AppleSubscribe on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a double episode today! That’s because we're late posting the July new releases. As it happens, Rachael recorded that one on her own, and as Sophie made the Emma Clancey episode (posted earlier) on her own, it has lined up nicely that we post both episodes today. So instead of one episode with us together, you have one from Soph and one from Rach. Lots of great new reading in this episode! Details of the books mentioned in this episode appear below.Title: What Did I Miss?Author: Holly BrunnbauerPublisher: HarperCollins Publishers Australia Genre: Romantic comedyTitle: Second Chance StationAuthor: Renae BlackPublisher: HQ/HarperCollinsGenre: Rural romanceTitle: August ReunionAuthor: Juliet MadisonPublisher: Bloodhound Books - available on AmazonGenre: Women's fiction/romanceTitle: The PeakAuthor: Sam GuthriePublisher: HarperCollinsGenre: Political thrillerTitle: The RevisionistsAuthor: Michelle JohnstonPublisher: HarperCollinsGenre: ThrillerTitle: Moonlight and DustAuthor: Jasmin McGaugheyPublisher: Allen & UnwinGenre: YA speculative fictionTitle: Fractured Pieces - The Nexus Series 2Author: Mandi KontosPublisher: KDPGenre: FantasyTitle: Brooke RoadAuthor: Matthew SpencerPublisher: Allen & UnwinGenre: CrimeTitle: RuinsAuthor: Amy TaylorPublisher: Allen & UnwinGenre: Literary fictionTitle: Your Friend and MineAuthor: Jessica DettmannPublisher: Allen & UnwinGenre: Contemporary fictionTitle: The Path Through the Coorong TreesAuthor: Léonie KelsallPublisher: Allen & UnwinGenre: Rural romanceTitle: Love OverdueAuthor: Ali Berg and Michelle KalusPublisher: Allen & UnwinGenre: RomcomTitle: The Trauma-Informed WriterAuthor: Dr Alicia LeighPublisher: Gininderra PressGenre: Non-fictionTitle: The Haunting of Mr and Mrs Stevenson Author: Belinda Lyons-LeePublisher: Transit LoungeGenre: Historical crimeTitle: The NeighboursAuthor: Emma BabbingtonPublisher: HQ/HarperCollinsGenre: Part psych thriller, part family mysteryFor more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.comFor more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.comSubscribe on Spotify Subscribe on AppleSubscribe on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘Writing and healthcare aren’t that different. At their core it’s an interest in people and it’s an interest in telling and understanding stories.’Sydney-based medical student and author Emma Clancey says this deep in Sophie's recent interview about her outstanding YA fantasy This Dream Will Devour Us (blurb below), which is out now from Allen & Unwin and which will be published in the USA next year. This is an interview Sophie did solo as while we have been pretty good at lining up times, we found ourself without a time in common for this chat. Emma was so interesting and inspiring to talk to – she is fitting in a vigorous writing schedule around her studies, and it is clear that she is passionate about both of these significant parts of her life. We talk about how she came to write the novel, the use of magic as a device in it, the importance of character development, and her overseas publication. ***ABOUT THIS DREAM WILL DEVOUR USAn intoxicating mix of magic and the machinations of the rich and powerful and a compulsive, bingeable read for readers who love Krystal Sutherland and Karen McManus.Sometimes you've got to kill a dream to escape a nightmare.Nora is the opposite of lucky. She's still wrangling her dead dad's debts when a mysterious illness lands her brother in hospital. But her fortunes take an unexpected turn when she wins the lottery to attend the Lamour family's exclusive magical Dream Gala. If Nora can win over the Lamour heirs, she'll get a coveted spot in their magical training program - and the money she needs to save her brother.There's just one problem: Nora never bought a lottery ticket.Determined to discover who wants her at the Gala - and why - Nora plunges headfirst into magical high society. Caught up in a decadent world of brutal billionaires and cutthroat celebrities, Nora is soon in over her head. When her search for answers uncovers a sinister conspiracy, will Nora stay silent or risk the wrath of a family powerful enough to get away with murder?For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.comFor more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.comSubscribe on Spotify Subscribe on AppleSubscribe on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some people will make a change from a ‘conventional’ career path to a creative career; some will move from one form of creative practice to another. Melburnian Miranda Nation has done both.After commencing studies in medicine at university, Miranda instead decided to pursue a creative life, training as an actor at at Jacques Lecoq in Paris from 2003 to 2005, then becoming a director and screenwriter, completing a Graduate Diploma in Directing at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School in 2010. That alone would have been reason enough for us to want to talk to her for Dear Rach & Soph, because the conventional path is often the easier one to take, due to there being less resistance along it – from family, friends and those around you – and there’s always a story attached to the decision to take a creative path instead. Miranda has taken it a step further, though. She’s had great success in screen - her short film, Perception, won the Dendy Award for Best Short Film at the 2014 Sydney Film Festival and her critically acclaimed debut feature as writer/director, Undertow, premiered at Melbourne International Film Festival and was released in cinemas in early 2020. The easier choice there would have been to stick to the artform she knew. Except she has taken on another: writing fiction. Her debut novel, New Skin, was released a few weeks ago by Allen & Unwin, and we speak quite a bit about that as well (blurb below). That’s not to say she has left screen behind! Miranda's original six-part series as creator/writer/EP, Playing Gracie Darling, will premiere on Paramount+ soon and stars Celia Pacquola, Anne Tenney and Harriet Walter.So there was so much to ask her about, and Miranda gave great insight into the choices she’s made and what it’s taken to inhabit her creative being. We hope you enjoy meeting her as much as we did. In the intro we talk about Rach's Substack serial, Meanwhile in Mount Merry-Glen, which is being released one week at a time and it is fab! Want to find out more? Go to rachaeljohnsauthor.substack.com ABOUT NEW SKINNew Skin is Miranda’s powerful debut novel about first love and second chances. Alex and Leah meet at medical school and form an immediate and intense connection. Over the course of four years, they are caught in the push-pull of passion and betrayal, longing and reunion. Neither can quite give up the relationship, even as they question whether they are good for each other.Years later, when Alex and Leah are drawn together once more, will they make the right choice?New Skin evokes a coming of age in the 1990s and charts the course of first love and its power to shape who we become. Spare and compelling, this powerful debut introduces a dazzling new voice in Australian fiction.For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.comFor more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.comSubscribe on Spotify Subscribe on AppleSubscribe on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Léonie Kelsall is the bestselling author of seven rural romance novels. Her eighth is The Path Through the Coojong Trees, has just been released. Léonie keeps a fast pace as a writer, currently producing two books a year while also running a counselling practice and running a farm that is home to many animals. We wanted to talk to Léonie about the relationship between her counselling work, in particular, and her writing but – as often happens – this chat covered a lot of other territory, including Léonie being both a traditionally published and self-published author, how her writing process is not at all structured, and how a childhood without television led to a lifelong love of reading. We had a great time chatting to Léonie, who is a creative powerhouse, and clearly someone who makes the most of each day. You can read more about Léonie below.***Raised initially in a tiny, no-horse town on South Australia's Fleurieu coast, then in the slightly more populated wheat and sheep farming land at Pallamana, Léonie Kelsall is a country girl through and through. Growing up without a television, she developed a love of reading before she reached primary school, swiftly followed by a desire to write. An animal rescuer and carer, Léonie now divides her time between the lush Adelaide Hills, the location of her professional counselling practice, and the stark, arid beauty of the family farm at Pallamana, which provides both the setting for many of her stories and a refuge for the rescues that can't be released. For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.comFor more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.comSubscribe on Spotify Subscribe on AppleSubscribe on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is long and all of it worth your attention, mostly because Allison Tait - who writes as A.L. Tait - is one of the most dynamic people working in Australian writing and publishing, and you can find her bio below. Also because it’s an unusual conversation we have for some of it - and that’s because Allison talks about her contemporary women’s fiction book being rejected by its publisher after it was accepted for publication and she did more work on it. The extra angle is that Sophie was her literary agent at that time.So Sophie know Allison well. And Allison and Rachael have known each other for a while through Romance Writers of Australia. Therefore this is a free-flowing conversation in which Allison is also really honest about what it was like to have what was her big dream at the time - to be a published novelist - be crushed. So it’s about a massive disappointment, and also what she made of that and what her career became afterwards.***Allison Tait (A.L. Tait) is the internationally published bestselling author of 12 middle-grade novels, including fantasy adventure series The Mapmaker Chronicles the Ateban Cipher novels, and the Maven & Reeve Mysteries.Her first contemporary middle-grade novel THE FIRST SUMMER OF CALLIE McGEE was published in 2023 and was longlisted for the 2024 Margaret and Colin Roderick Literary Award.Allison’s latest middle-grade novel WILLOW BRIGHT’S SECRET PLOT is out now (Scholastic 2025), with DANGER ROAD (Scholastic 2025) to follow on 1 July.A multi-genre writer, creative writing teacher and speaker with many years’ experience in magazines, newspapers and online publishing, Allison is co-host of the top-rating Your Kid’s Next Read podcast and former co-host of the So You Want To Be A Writer podcast.For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.comFor more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.comSubscribe on Spotify Subscribe on AppleSubscribe on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dear listeners-slash-viewers - or ‘liewers’, as Soph has taken to calling you - this episode was recorded in April and because Soph mentioned her upcoming appearance at the Festival of Fiction in it, we had to hold it until the festival was announced, which has just happened! And the reason we mention the festival is that our guest, Mona Farrokhi, is involved with the festival.Mona volunteered a little while ago for writer ‘therapy’, in which writers bring us their writerly challenge and we try to help them through it. Mona has been working on a manuscript for a while and wanted our advice on what she should do about it. Suffice to say Soph declared that this would be a ‘tough love’ session! Thanks to Mona for her honesty and as she is no doubt not alone in this challenge, perhaps some of you will find the episode of interest.If you’d like to receive some of our tough love, please send Soph or Rach a DM on social media or email sophiegreenbooks [at] gmail [dot] comThe delay on releasing this means the intro we recorded is technically out of date but as Soph listened to it in preparation for publication, she realised it’s kinda not! We talk about ideas we have for books and also those ideas being rejected and us not being attached.For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.comFor more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.comSubscribe on Spotify Subscribe on AppleSubscribe on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.