Welcome, my lovelies. It so nice to have you all back for another inquisition. I almost feel like I should be twirling a waxed mustache at this point.
So today’s guest is the lovely and talented wrangler of words, Julia Joseph. Her debut novel, THE BROKEN, is available now, which means you don’t have to wait when you’re finished here to get more of Julia.
We feel Julia should feel right at home in the Swamp as the voices in her head blend rather well with ours.
She’s even going to give one lucky commenter a copy of her novel, all you have to do is share the one spot in the world you’ve always wanted to go and your email, and it could be you!
Don’t believe me? Fine, then we’ll just let Julia have the stage and you can form your own opinions….
If your character(s) came with a warning label, what would it say?
Rose would be Denial with a side of Neurotic and a helping of Powerful. Ouriel could be called Strength with a large dose of Cranky. Miriam is Kick Ass Soldier mixed with Perfection. Genevieve, bless her heart, would have to be Beauty Overwhelmed by Her Own Power.
–Perhaps they should be handled with care? Or maybe lead line gloves? Sounds as if the side effects could be…errr…rather messy…
If you turned your laptop/computer/pen/typewriter (yes, some of still use these!) over to your character(s), how would they describe you?
OMG! This woman is a nutcase and WE ARE TRAPPED IN HER HEAD. Someone—dear God, ANYONE—get us out of here. Please! (Actually, this chick is totally okay. Sort of. But, if we’re all that crap she said about us up there, then she’s Brains smothered in Crazy sauce. Just sayin’.
–Eerie assures me that Crazy Sauce it actually quite delicious….
We all have favorite characters, either main or secondary, and there are always bits and pieces of them we don’t share with our readers, but keep close to our hearts. Choose your favorite from your cast of characters and tell us a couple of things that you haven’t shared in your books/writing.
Ishmael, everybody’s favorite ancient Warrior-slash-kinda-sorta-angel-slash-father-figure-guy is actually the girls’ great (times 20) grandfather. He was married to Joan of Arc, they had a daughter, and the sisters are their great-grand-progeny. To save myself a lot of verbal and genetic tap dancing, I leave this bit out. (When you read the book, you’ll understand why.)
–*spreading out really long family tree chart* I think I’ve got that…
Personally, I tend to be a bit on the introverted side so the thought of being in the actual presence of one of my favorite writers makes my heart race, my knees shake and tangles my tongue (yes classic fan girl behavior). Who could reduce you to such a level and how do you imagine your initial meeting?
Authors like Julie Garwood, Nora Roberts, J. K. Rowling, and Jim Butcher would melt me into a stuttering mess. (I’m kind of embarrassed that list isn’t more scholarly. I have a degree in English Lit, for goodness’ sake!) The encounter would only be worth relating because of the probable loss of control over my bodily functions. Really. It wouldn’t be pretty. At the very least, I’d develop diarrhea of the mouth as I did when I met Aaron Douglas (the actor who played Chief Tyrol in Syfy’s Battlestar Galactica) and threaten to kiss them (again, as I did—never mind). On a side note, I recently met Darynda Jones and Deanna Raybourn. I had no idea who they were, so I behaved in a completely appropriate manner. (I’m so ashamed.
–Well, I can tell you from personal experience, Jim Butcher is quite understanding of drool and gibberish. Nora Roberts may back up a little, but she’s rather polite about not getting spit on her shoes. Years ago, I got to attend one of Nora Roberts’ signings in Oregon and she was quite nice, even as I stuttered out my name while my hubby had to pry the book she was signing out of my hands. Got luck enough to meet Jim at a signing in Scottsdale a few years back and he was hilarious, so far out of my funny league, I could only stand there in silent adoration.
Whether we’re plotters or pantsers (outlines not needed), creating our stories takes us on very memorable journeys. Sometimes we may be part way through before we realize some major aspect of our story is just not working (plot, character, setting). Have you ever hit this sharp, pointy snag and if so, how did you escape? We’re you battered and bruised or a bloody mess?
Agh! I’d almost finished The Broken when a good friend (and critique-er) of mine told me that it moved too quickly in the beginning. My characters fell in love way too fast. I hadn’t planned it that way but skipped ahead of my own brief outline because it’d seemed the thing to do at the time. I knew she was right, but I hated going back and rewriting. I ended up putting in three extra chapters and hated every moment of it. Those 15,000 words took me three years to write. (I do NOT pout. Seriously, I don’t. Okay, maybe I do. A little.
–So I guess if I complain about rewriting the first third of HUNTED BY THE PAST, three separate times in four months, you’d just kick me uh?
What’s the one genre you won’t ever try and why?
Murder mysteries. Ugh. I can’t imagine how organized a person must be to keep all those little clues lined up and in order for an entire book. I can’t even find my car keys half the time
–We have car keys? Where? There’s a car that goes with them? Seriously? How did I miss that?
Share if you dare, one of your favorite research experiences. Did you join a ghost hunters group? Did you step outside your comfort zone and into the wild world of your characters?
My favorite research experience was traveling to the Middle East on a biblical history tour. I didn’t know I was going to use that knowledge in my writing yet, but it grabbed hold of me and didn’t let go. But the best part of the entire experience was getting to walk the land of my mother’s family. The moment I stepped foot in Lebanon, it was as if all the voices of my ancestors rushed to greet me. The warm wind blowing in from the Mediterranean became their sweet spirits wrapping me in a welcoming embrace. I felt them in my bones, and it was divine. (The memory totally just gave me goosebumps!)
—Ooooohhh, I’m kind of jealous….but love the pic…
Okay, Julia, time for our bullet list. Is your vest on? Face shield down? Good…here we go….
Blades, guns, fists or feet?
All of the above. I take Tae Kwon Do, and I’ve got my own Ruger 9mm.
–I bring forth the Krav Maga, and am currently shopping Sig and Ruger.
Favorite Fairy Tale of all time?
Disney? I’ve abandoned my early ‘90s love affairs and switched allegiances to Brave and Frozen.
–We’ll accept Brave….
Three titles and their authors sitting on your nightstand/bookcase/table/floor waiting to be read?
First Grave on the Left—Darynda Jones
Biblical Literacy—Rabbi Joseph Telushkin
Ender’s Game—Orson Scott Card
Greatest one liner of all time?
Mine? “Yeah, sure…then again, I’m confused by my own shoelaces, so don’t quote me.”
Film? “It’s a banded, bulbous, snarflatt.”
–*snort*
Sarcastic witticism, Southern sweetness or Geeky disdain?
Geeky disdain. (Always go for the geek!)
Strangest item currently taking up space in your writing cave?
A movie poster I ordered my m-i-l for Christmas. It was supposed to be the DVD. (I’m a smart person, I swear!)
Favorite supernatural creature?
Angels.
–Those wings tend to help offset the horns, I found…
Much love and thanks go to Julia for spending time with and indulging our curiosity. Time to turn our spotlight on you, our lovely audience. I want to know, if you could go anywhere in the world, where would we find you? Leave your answer and email in the comments below and one of you could be lucky enough to get a copy of Julia’s THE BROKEN.
Can’t wait? Then, go check out THE BROKEN.
Born into a family of Guardians—extraordinarily gifted humans who fight demons to protect mortal souls—seventeen year old Rose Kazin shows no signs of being blessed with the supernatural talents her family has used for generations to fight demons. When she and her father figure, an age old celestial Warrior, are horribly wounded in an ambush, Rose awakens to find a younger Warrior, Ouriel, has volunteered to stand in as her protector. She rails against his presence, but Ouriel seems interested in only one thing—teaching Rose how to protect herself from the demons she was never supposed to fight.
Get yours: AMAZON BARNES AND NOBLE
Julia Joseph taught Theatre for nine years in Texas middle and high schools, where she wrote and produced three original plays for her students. In 2011, Julia left teaching to devote all of her energy to her own children and to writing a novel. She earned her B. A. in English Literature and Language with a focus in Drama from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas.
Julia spends most of her free time reading, writing, and chauffeuring her kids between activities. She lives happily with her husband and two children wherever the Army happens to station them.
You can find me at: