Me: COEXIST is an awesome title. What's the story behind it?
Julia: Thank you, it took me a long time to come up with the title. I was originally going to call it Keegan. I thought Coexist was fitting since the elves have evolved to live among humans.
Me: What was your favorite part of writing COEXIST?
Julia: The actual writing process. I would come up with ideas at the oddest times. When I first started the book I was on a plane to Katmandu, of all places, and suddenly I pictured the ending. It drove me crazy to sit on the plane and not be able to get it down on paper. I can tell you what I genuinely dislike about writing is the revision/editing stage that took me much longer than actually writing the book.
Me: Do you have a special writing place or routine?
Julia: I tend to write a lot from my bedroom late at night. I’m one of those people that needs quiet to focus.
Me: Who has influenced your writing the most?
Julia: Hmmm, I don’t think there is one person I could name. As an avid reader, I love so many authors.
Me: What were the last five books you read (besides mine)?
Julia: I did love REPLAY! I have been reading A LOT of indie books lately. I do tend to sneak back to the best sellers and grab the books I’ve been waiting for.
TRANSFECTION by David Gaughran, UNDERNEATH by Heather Marie Adkins, PARADOX by Pattie Roberts. I’ve also recently read THE NAKED EDGE by David Morrell, and EVE by Iris Johansen.
Me: What do you order at your favorite coffee shop?
Julia: English breakfast tea or hot chocolate. I know I’m odd, but I LOVE Folgers instant coffee, which they do not carry in Dubai! I have to have friends and family mail it to me.
Me: Please open a dictionary, pick ten random words, and write a sentence using all ten.
Julia: You're killing me. :) I can’t play this game because my dictionary is online. So instead I will write another sentence: Buy REPLAY written by Keira Lea; it’s a great story!
Me: If you could be in your dream critique group, which five authors would you choose?
Julia: James Patterson, Richard Castle, Iris Johansen, Nelson DeMille, and Ken Follett.
Me: Pick two characters from your book and tell us a little about their lives.
Julia: Thaddeus is one of my favorites. He is Keegan’s younger brother, born with the gift of sight. Only twelve years old, and he has the burden of saving his kind from extinction.
Keegan’s best friend Anna is a fun character. I actually based her on one of my daughter's best friends who is quirky and confident.
Me: If you could rewind time, what would you change in your life?
Julia: I wish I could turn back time and be stuck at the age 28. That’s a great age. You are finally secure in who you are and have yet to get grey hair. That’s not really a change, but I like my life, so I wouldn’t change anything.
Thanks for having me!
Me: Thanks for hanging out with me! It gets lonely around here sometimes.
