Author of: "PIECES"
Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Romance
~~~AUTHOR INTERVIEW~~~
Geri: Do you have any current work in progress?
Julia: Yes, I am in the process of writing the sequel to PIECES,
and I expect to have it finished by the summer of 2010.
Geri: Did you have favorite books as a child?
Julia: As a child, I loved the LITTLE BEAR books by Elsa
Holmelund Minarik, and Maurice Sendak. As I grew up,
I became quite obsessed with a few different series, including
The BABY-SITTERS CLUB, and SWEET VALLEY HIGH.
Geri: If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?
Julia: Well, I like to think that I've incorporated all my favorite
genres into my book, which I like to say is a mystery-
suspense-romance, with a twist of horror. But I've
actually been tossing some science fiction-romance
ideas around for the future.
Geri: How many books have you written?
Julia: "PIECES" is my first book.
Geri: Has a special person in your life inspired you to write?
Julia: My grandmother, Olga. Actually, the characters for
"PIECES" were something we brainstormed together
fifteen years ago, when I was just in middle school.
She was a writer herself once, even attending college in
New York City, briefly while in her twenties to study
journalism, though she's never been published. Literature
and writing was something we bonded over early on,
and she has always been a fan of my writing, and promised
me one day I would see it published. Earlier this year,
however, she was diagnosed with the early stages of
Alzheimer disease and I knew that if I wanted her to read
the story she helped me come up with fifteen years ago,
I'd have to take it off the shelf and make it happen. I am
so proud, and grateful that I'll be able to put a copy in her
hands now.
Geri: When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer?
Julia: Although PIECES is my first novel, I am not new to the
world of writing. I could go as far back as to credit the
school play I wrote for Martin Luther King Day in fourth
grade, but perhaps I should skip ahead to more recent
years. When I was eighteen, I worked as a news
correspondent for three different newspapers in New Jersey.
At age nineteen, I worked briefly as a local news managing
editor for The Brick Communicator, before leaving to focus
on college full-time. At age twenty, I won the Ignie LaFluer
Endowed Scholarship for "Best Work In Fiction" for my
short story, "The Color Of Homage." At twenty-two, I won
my university's award for "Best Senior Thesis" for a history
paper on Atlantic Ocean history. Another thesis, "Playing
with Barbies" for a class entitled "The Philosophy Of Binary
Gender" was published by the Transgender Tapestry in
2003, a magazine with national distribution. For the last
two years, I've been working as a ghost writer for various
projects. Writing, in any way, shape or form, has always
been my passion. As soon as I could write, I knew it was
what made me happiest.
Geri: As writers, we begin with a manuscript, and end in
promotions. What was your most difficult task?
Julia: Hands down, the most difficult task is the very moment
when you decide your work is finished. For months, or
years, the project exists only as a pliable story in your
brain, or an editable document on your hard drive. But
when you approve that final galley, knowing it will be off to
print and available for the world, you must relinquish your
ability to go back in, and change. Also, tweek, or polish,
accepting your book as finished. I could call it bittersweet, but
I don't think any words could truly describe that moment.
Geri: How did you feel at your first book-signing, or the first time
you signed your book?
Julia: As I am answering this question about two weeks before I
will have a book in my hands to sign, I can only guess the
feeling of pride, and accomplishment, even if I sign only
one copy.
Geri: Who is your favorite author?
Julia: This is a hard question to answer, because I have a favorite
for each genre, but I will be simple and say Alice Sebold.
Geri: Are your characters from real life, or from the imagination?
Julia: From the imagination, though I feel as if I know them all
personally, after spending so much time with them!
Geri: Thank you very much for today's interview. It was quite
interesting, and enjoyable. I remember how much my
daughters liked The Baby-sitters Club, and Sweet Valley
High. I always took them to the library from a very young
age, and they loved the book clubs. Congrats on your
new release. I wish you much success.
Julia: You're welcome!
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