Time for a promotional spotlight!
Today I welcome author Julie Campbell to the blog for an interview!
Have you seen Julie's beautiful book?
To Anna, horses were more than a fascination, they were everything. Luckily, she had the opportunity to spend every summer on her grandmother's horse ranch in Colorado. Life was perfect, until she received the devastating news that her grandmother had been tragically killed. Anna knew she was the only member of her family who could take over the ranch and hopefully find new homes for her grandmother's beloved Arabians.Anna wasn't alone for long. Her grandmother had hired a local teenage boy to help tend the horses for the summer. Anna didn't stand a chance against Cody's quiet charm and the two rapidly become friends. However, even with the responsibilities of the ranch, Anna quickly discovers the secrets her grandmother had been hiding and a legacy that sends her on an adventure she never thought possible. An adventure in the saddle of a horse that wasn't a horse at all. Sabaska, her grandmother's favorite Arabian, was a Traveler; a magical being that could travel between worlds. With Anna at the reins, they find themselves trapped in a fight against evil with the highest of stakes… Their very survival.
So let's hear what Julie has to say!
Did you always know you wanted to be a writer or did you want to be something else?
The story of how I became an author is pretty interesting actually, at least to me. I’ve always enjoyed writing stories, since I was very young but, at least as long as I can remember, I’ve been into science. So much so that I got a science degree in college. Back tracking a little bit, in the 6th grade, my reading teacher, Mrs. Fox, told me that she thought I was going to be an author some day because of how much I read. I thought she was full of it of course. Authors are these mythical god-like creatures on other planets… not something I could actually be.
Her words must have stuck because I kept writing stories and years later I realized… wait a minute, why the heck not. So here I am, an author. She was right.
How long does it take you to write a book from start to finish?
That’s a hard one because each book is different. The level of distractions from the main project are different every time too. Usually a few months.
How do you come up with themes for your stories?
That’s a hard question to answer because the theme is not really what I’m thinking about when I’m making up a story. I come up with ideas and characters and situations and I think the types of themes I like, kick butt MC’s, good vs. evil, resisting power, things like that, just fall into place.
Do you have a schedule of when you write?
Basically, I spend all of what most people call “free time” at my computer. I have specific things I need to accomplish in a day and the rest of my time is at my computer. I do work every day though, except on the rare occasion when I make myself take time off.
How are you able to balance other aspects of your life with your writing?
Hehe, um, well, my dog and my horse demand attention, so I don’t ignore them and I have to go to work to feed myself and my horde. Everything else, well, I just have to come up for air sometimes and make sure the rest of the world knows I still live.
What elements do you think make a great story line?
Interesting characters, neat situations, and cool worlds.
What was the hardest thing about writing a book?
The middle.
How many books have you written so far? Do you have a favorite?
Published, three novels and a lot of short stories. Written… gosh, I think I’m up to 9 novels. My favorite is the one that just got published, Sabaska’s Tale.
Do you have a favorite character?
Ekatarine, my urban fantasy vampire hunter character. She’s also a vampire. Sabaska, my Traveler MC from Sabaska’s Tale is my other favorite.
Where do you write?
Usually at my desk in my office, but sometimes outside, sometimes at work in a notebook, in the mountains when I can.
When deciding on how to publish, what directed you to the route you took?
I’m not brave enough to tackle self-publishing a novel, and honestly, having help from other experienced professionals is great. I love small press and the personalized attention you get from your publishers.
Have you gotten feedback from family about your book(s)? What do they think?
My mom likes my Ghost-Hunting Dog stories a lot.
What kinds of things do you like to do outside of writing?
Ride my horse and do lots of things with my dog. I like going to movies and being in the mountains too. (usually mountain time involves my horse and dog.)
What kinds of advice would you give to someone who wants to start writing?
Write every day. Well worn advice, but it really works. Don’t worry at first about how good it is, just get in the habit of writing, then work on improving. Also, don’t edit while you write.
What is your favorite book? favorite author? Do you have an author that inspired/inspires you to write?
My favorite book, I don’t think I can nail one down. There are so many, and at different times different stories have been very important to me. One of my favorite series is the Green Rider series by Kristen Britain though. My favorite author is Timothy Zahn.
An author that has inspired me is Neil Gaiman. He pretty much took his writing life by the horns and made it his bitch. I admire that.
Do you have any go to people when writing a book that help you with your story lines as well as editing, beta reading and such?
Yes, a ton. I couldn’t do it without them. THANK YOU GUYS!
Are you working on anything now?
The projects are countless…. So many… Basically my main project right now is a novel version of my Doc, Vampire-Hunting Dog short story series.
Thanks so much for stopping by today, Julie! It's been great having you here!
Julie has been many things over the last few years, from college student, to bookstore clerk and an over the road trucker. She’s worked as a 911 dispatcher and in computer tech support, but through it all she’s been a writer and when she’s not out riding horses, she can usually be found sitting in front of her computer. She lives in Colorado with her three cats, her vampire-hunting dog Kira, her new horse and Traveler-in training, Triska, and her Irish Sailor. She is the author of many Vampire and Ghost-Hunting Dog stories and the young adult urban fantasy series The Clanless.
Thank you so much for having me here!
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