It's no surprise that Julie Garwood became a writer. Growing up in a large family of Irish heritage, she took to storytelling naturally. "The Irish relish getting all the details of every situation," she explains. "Add in the fact that I was the sixth of seven children. Early in life I learned that self-expression had to be forceful, imaginative, and quick."
Creating stories was always a passion for Julie, but she didn't focus on making it a career until the youngest of her three children entered school. After the publications of two young adult books, she turned her interests to historical fiction. Her first novel, GENTLE WARRIOR, was published in 1985, and there has been a steady parade of bestsellers ever since. Today more than 35 million copies of her books are in print, and they are translated in dozens of languages around the world. One of her most popular novels, FOR THE ROSES, was adapted for a HALLMARK HALL OF FAME production on CBS.
Whether the setting be medieval Scotland, Regency England, frontier Montana, or modern-day Louisiana, her themes are consistent: family, loyalty, and honor. Readers claim that it's the humor as well as poignancy of her novels that keep them coming back for more. Julie described her goals this way: "I want my readers to laugh and cry and fall in love. Basically, I want them to escape into another world for a little while and afterwards to feel as though they've been on a great adventure."
Julie lives in Leawood, Kansas, and is currently working on her next novel.Links: Goodreads Website Facebook Twitter
Interview
1. When you sit down and write a book is it sequential or do you write it in pieces and put it together later?
I write sequentially, but as the story unfolds I'll find I need to go back and add a line or a scene earlier in the book. I'm often surprised by where the story leads me, so once I've got the book written, I'll take a look at the whole picture and see if there's something that needs to be changed or included, and then I'll rewrite.
2. When there are certain trends in writing do you ever feel pressured to go in that direction?
No. Trends are always changing, and you never know how long one will last. If you try to follow the hottest new craze, it most likely will have changed by the time you get there. I just try to stick with what I like and hope my readers like it too.
3. Over the years your writing has changed, when you go in a different direction do you like to hear if your original readers like this new direction? Do you think that it's inevitable that an authors writing will change?
I love hearing from my readers. I do think my writing has changed somewhat. The historicals were more romance-centered, and then when I began to write contemporary novels, I put a little more focus on the plot and the suspense. With the last couple of books, however, I've tried to return to writing more about the romance between the hero and heroine, and from what I'm hearing, readers prefer this.
4. I was lucky and received an ARC of Hotshot for review purposes, loved it! Do you read the reviews from your books, do you get nervous before a book is released?
I avoid reviews if at all possible. Good or bad. They mess with my mind, and I can't concentrate on writing if I'm constantly second guessing myself. Sometimes I'll hear about good reviews, and I'll feel grateful, but if I hear about a bad one, I feel terrible that I've disappointed my readers, so I've decided the best course of action is to avoid the roller coaster altogether.
5. Fast Track is the 12th book in the Buchanan-Renard series, we are getting Aiden and Cordelias story July 2014 does that mean the book is already written and going through the editing process?
It's interesting that my contemporary novels have been labeled "Buchanan-Renard" since several of them don't feature a Buchanan or a Renard. I guess it's because I often try to find a link to these two families in my stories, even though it might be an obscure one. I'm delighted that readers have taken to these characters the way they have.
FAST TRACK, Aiden's and Cordie's story, is due at the publisher at the beginning of the year, and I've been working almost nonstop to try to meet the deadline. So far these two are a lot of fun, and I really hope readers will like their adventure.
6. What is your favorite comfort food/s?
I write sequentially, but as the story unfolds I'll find I need to go back and add a line or a scene earlier in the book. I'm often surprised by where the story leads me, so once I've got the book written, I'll take a look at the whole picture and see if there's something that needs to be changed or included, and then I'll rewrite.
2. When there are certain trends in writing do you ever feel pressured to go in that direction?
No. Trends are always changing, and you never know how long one will last. If you try to follow the hottest new craze, it most likely will have changed by the time you get there. I just try to stick with what I like and hope my readers like it too.
3. Over the years your writing has changed, when you go in a different direction do you like to hear if your original readers like this new direction? Do you think that it's inevitable that an authors writing will change?
I love hearing from my readers. I do think my writing has changed somewhat. The historicals were more romance-centered, and then when I began to write contemporary novels, I put a little more focus on the plot and the suspense. With the last couple of books, however, I've tried to return to writing more about the romance between the hero and heroine, and from what I'm hearing, readers prefer this.
4. I was lucky and received an ARC of Hotshot for review purposes, loved it! Do you read the reviews from your books, do you get nervous before a book is released?
I avoid reviews if at all possible. Good or bad. They mess with my mind, and I can't concentrate on writing if I'm constantly second guessing myself. Sometimes I'll hear about good reviews, and I'll feel grateful, but if I hear about a bad one, I feel terrible that I've disappointed my readers, so I've decided the best course of action is to avoid the roller coaster altogether.
5. Fast Track is the 12th book in the Buchanan-Renard series, we are getting Aiden and Cordelias story July 2014 does that mean the book is already written and going through the editing process?
It's interesting that my contemporary novels have been labeled "Buchanan-Renard" since several of them don't feature a Buchanan or a Renard. I guess it's because I often try to find a link to these two families in my stories, even though it might be an obscure one. I'm delighted that readers have taken to these characters the way they have.
FAST TRACK, Aiden's and Cordie's story, is due at the publisher at the beginning of the year, and I've been working almost nonstop to try to meet the deadline. So far these two are a lot of fun, and I really hope readers will like their adventure.
6. What is your favorite comfort food/s?
My friend's husband makes amazing fried chicken. When he announces one of his "chicken nights" we all head to their house for a country-style meal of mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, biscuits, and apple pie. Fortunately for my diet he doesn't do this very often, but when it happens, the food is to-die-for.
Books
Buchanan-Renard/Contemporary
Highlands' Lairds/Medieval
Lairds' Fiancee/Medieval
Crown's Spies
Claybornes' Brides (Rose Hill)/Western
Stand alone
