Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Cassar.
Hi Julie , it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
A few years back, I had an “A-ha! Moment.” It was 10 o’clock and the kids were in bed. It was 10 o’clock, the kids were in bed, the lights were dimmed, and I was on the couch—feet stretched out comfortably, laptop propped on my legs—working on my website. Suddenly, I was struck by the number of blogs I had written. The first thought that popped into my head was, “That is so weird. I am soooo not a writer. How did I even come up with all that stuff?”
Then I clicked around the site and, upon seeing the links to my books (The Ruby Blue Series and the Stealing Light Trilogy), I was struck by another thought, “Hey. I wrote some books. How the heck did that happen? I am soooo not a writer.” It was funny. Not in the “ha-ha” way, but in the “that is just too bizarre to be true” way. The realization struck a chord: just because we don’t believe something, doesn’t mean it isn’t true.
I still can’t believe I’ve written eight novels, with a ninth coming out later this year. In 2010, I wrote my first novel on a dare. It was a memoir of sorts that was never published, aside from a few excerpts I shared on my website. Don’t get me wrong—I tried. I still have the 32 rejection letters from various publishing houses and agents. Each one stung just a bit more than the last. But boy, I learn a lot. I learned I had no clue what I was doing, and nobody really wanted to read a story about me. After all, Britney Spears, I am not. LOL.
But that was the catalyst that got me going. That, along with prodding and encouragement from my brother, J.D., I started a blog and created a website to build a following. After some more harassment from him (er, encouragement), I took a stab at writing fiction. But what should I write?
A few years prior, when I was a young mother of three small children, I spent a lot of time in the backyard, working in my gardens while the kids played or napped inside. It offered me a sense of peace and accomplishment. While I buried my problems and stress in the dirt, I uncovered a story. I began to think about the idea of garden fairies, and what it would be like if they could interact with a child. The story began to take shape in my mind—characters, names, adventures. Initially, I had thought it would be a great children’s book.
That idea came bubbling back to the surface when I decided to try my hand at fiction, and before I knew it, the story of Ruby Blue came tumbling out. I simply wrote the kind of book I enjoyed reading. I completed it in 2011 and started its sequel while it was with my editor. Mind you, I had no clue what I was doing—not really, anyway. I would write whenever I could, often late at night after the kids were put to bed, sometimes into the wee early hours of the morning. I would click away at the laptop until my hands couldn’t handle it anymore, or until my back ached and my eyes were heavy. I worked part-time, so I still had to manage a few hours of sleep. I began to reach out to groups and people on Facebook to learn as much as possible about independent publishing. A hop, skip, and a jump later, I released Ruby Blue to the world in February of 2012. Six months later, I released its sequel, Deja Blue.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s been more than a decade, I’ve written two Amazon Best-Selling series, and I still sometimes find it weird to tell people I’m an author, because I’m afraid they’ll find out my secret … that I really don’t know what the heck I’m doing, that I’m not a real author, and I’ll get kicked out of their little club. Of course, I realize that this won’t actually happen. I don’t have a membership card that “they” (whoever “they” are) will revoke. But somewhere, in the dark little corners of my mind, those are the thoughts of doubt that sometimes still creep in.
I have written hundreds of thousands of words, yet I still pinch myself that I am a writer. How cool is it that I found this passion later in life, and people actually read what I write? I am so very grateful for all of my readers. And, every author I have spoken to or met has welcomed me into their community with open arms. I’ve greatly appreciated all of the help, words of wisdom, and guidance I’ve received along the way. Having trusted beta readers, who will give honest feedback, are a MUST! They, along with my editor, make me a better writer.
I was blown away by the willingness of others to lend me a helping hand. It is the kind of person I strive to be. If I can make one person feel that just one time, then I’ve accomplished something unbelievably great. Because for me, it has been perhaps the most incredible feeling I have ever experienced in my 50 years. When words that I write, via my blog or my books, touch someone’s life, make their day a little better, or bring them some joy, it’s the best feeling in the world! It’s like that scene in “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” when the Grinch’s heart grew three sizes too big … the explosion of warmth in my chest that overwhelms me with a happy, gooey goodness too big for words. I had it when my website went live and received my first comments from readers. I had it when I got my first rejection letter, and my stupid-head brother made me cry with his words of encouragement and love. I had it when my book went live and earned several five-star reviews from strangers within two days of its release.
Happy, gooey goodness too big for words.
Sometimes, it’s hard to believe in ourselves. Sometimes, it’s hard to believe in others. But sometimes, the things you just “can’t believe” are the truest, most wonderful things there are. I don’t often see magic, but I know I believe in it. I don’t often see miracles, but I believe in those, too. And, I still don’t quite believe it, but I am an author. Maybe if I keep saying it, it will sound more true. And maybe, I just have to believe the unbelievable. Try it sometime-it might just make your story epic!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Hmmm… tell you more about myself? Gah! Every author’s nightmare…talking about ourselves instead of our characters. For my full-time career, I’m lucky to have found a home with my storytelling skills at HARMAN Automotive as a Senior Content Marketing Specialist. When I’m not at work, I’m an artist, an author, and a mother of three grown children. I love creating, hosting elaborate, fabulous parties, painting watercolors, drawing, and crafting. I’ve had my art at several arts & craft shows around Michigan, and selling any new piece of my art to someone is still just as thrilling as the first time.
I think what sets any of my creative work apart from others is the fact that I genuinely love life, expressing joy, and sharing what I know with people. — my little nuggets of wisdom, as I like to call them. I pride myself on reading people and communicating effectively, and I think that shines through in all of my work, whether it’s writing, painting, or drawing.
Pricing:
- *See my website for pricing or contact me via email or social media.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.juliecassar.weebly.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliecassarauthor/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julie.cassar.7/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-cassar-2387a7a5/
- Other: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Julie-Cassar/author/B00AM0VXOU
