There's a new featured author in town this July! I'm super excited to have the incredibly talented Julia Wolf sharing a bit about herself and her books on the Katia Rose blog this month. Julia is taking the indie scene by storm with her hilarious and sweet series 'The Sublime.' The series follows the story of a group of women who work at a hair salon in a small Maryland town, and it's definite must-read if you like your romance funny, sexy, and swoony (all my favourite things!)
I asked Julia a few questions about her journey as a a writer so far and what her experience with the romance genre has been. Read on to find out more.
What drew you to writing romance? What aspects of the genre appeal to you most as a reader and/or writer?
I started writing a year ago. It was natural for me to write romance, since that's the main genre I read. In a world that seems upside down a lot of the time, it's nice to read a romance and have the reassurance that it'll end happily.
What's the first romance novel you read (or can remember reading!) and what impression did it make on you? Were you hooked from the start, or did it take you a few books to become a romance fan?
I didn't start reading contemporary romance until I was thirty. I'd just given birth to twins, so I was home alone with two small babies who slept all day. At the time, everyone was talking about 50 Shade of Grey, so I was curious. Maybe it was hormones, I'm not sure, but I was hooked after that. I remember reading Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren next, and then just devouring any romance I could get my hands on.
What made you decide to take the indie route instead of traditional publishing?
I half-heartedly queried agents and publishers with my first book. I got some good feedback, which I implemented, but ultimately, I decided to go indie instead of torturing myself with the query process. I had a friend who was preparing to self-publish, so we kind of did it together. It's been interesting, but I'm glad I went the indie route.
What's been the most exciting moment in your writing career so far?
The most exciitng moment was my first review. Someone else actually read my words and loved them! There's nothing better than when a reader contacts me to tell me she identifies with my character or sees herself in the story.
Do you have any writing rituals? A favourite space to write in? A time of day you prefer, or something you just HAVE to have with you when you write?
I don't have any writing rituals. I find I'm most productive at night, even though I have the entire day to write when my kids are at school. I get too distracted during the day, but at night I can really focus. And I don't have any fancy writing space. My books are mostly produced from my couch!
What's the biggest challenge you've faced as an author?
My biggest challenge so far is accepting criticism and knowing that just because someone didn't like my book or my voice, that it's not personal and doesn't mean I'm a terrible writer who should pack it all in.
If you could give some words of encouragement to a new indie author just starting out,what would they be?
I feel like I'm still just starting out, but I've learned a bit. My best decision was to have several books written before I released my first. That way there was less pressure to get the next one written and I could focus more on marketing. Another piece of advice is to make author friends and really get involved in the community. I have a small group of romcom author friends, and we all help each other out a lot with releases and marketing. Plus, it's just nice to have people to talk to who really get where I'm coming from!
Julia will be back later in the month to share some inside details on her novel 'Cut Short.' In the meantime, visit her website for more information, and if you haven't done yourself the favor of checking out the first installment in 'The Sublime' find it here!
