julierose
My blogs
| Gender | Female |
|---|---|
| Occupation | dance teacher, writer |
| Location | Oshkosh, Wisconsin |
| Introduction | I'm thrilled that my first book, The Escape Diaries, is coming out in December.It's sort of a hybrid of mystery and chick lit, a popcorn book--light, fun, and with a happy ending. Despite the Italian name, I'm from a large Irish family, raised on a dairy farm with cats, dogs, chickens,pigs and 4 brothers. I wanted to be a cowboy when I grew up, but somehow wound up as a teacher instead. My first job was in Milwaukee, which provides much of the colorful background for my book. I spent a year teaching in Sydney, Australia, where I taught ESL and--completely unqualified--talked myself into a job coaching cricket.Nowadays I live in Oshkosh with my husband and son and squeeze in writing time between sub teaching jobs. Survival stories have always fascinated me--from Robinson Crusoe to Hatchet. It amazes me how brave and resourceful people can be as they struggle to survive under horrendous conditions. When I wrote my book my heroine possessed no food, money, or clothes and was being hunted by every lawman and gun-toting lunatic in the state, Sort of like the Hunger Games, only with Cheeseheads instead of tributes. Let me know if you read it and like it. |
| Interests | When I was younger and braver I spent a year teaching in Sydney, Australia, which whetted my appetite for traveling. Since then I've been to England, Canada, Italy, Ireland, and most places in the USA. My friends claim I'm a chocoholic; my dream job would be: judge in a dark chocolate taste test contest. Most weekends you can find me hiking on a nearby nature trail. I've worn out several pairs of shoes this way. Trees, wild flowers, fresh air--fabulous. Books.I'm a compulsive reader. If there's nothing to read, I'll read the copy on a hemorrhoid box. Love the way reading transports you out of yourself. History: particularly Tudor-era England, World War 2, and the French Revolution. |
| Favorite Movies | How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, The Fugitive, Across the Universe, Wiz of Oz, Grease, Fiddler on the Roof, Jules and Jim, Chicago--too many others to list. I see at least one movie a week, two if possible. |
| Favorite Music | Eclectic tastes(good name for a rock band)--Adele, Norah Jones, classic rock, Beatles, Chieftains, Clancy Brothers, show tunes . . . |
| Favorite Books | Where to start? Every syllable T.C. Boyle wrote, Jeanne Ray's marvelous Julie and Romeo, Eat Cake, and Step, Ball, Change, all the Harry Potter books, Reginald Hill, Bill Bryson's books, Lonesome Dove, Wolf Hall, Phil. Pullman's trilogy, Karen Cushman's medieval stories, Kate Atkinson Jackson Brown. I have to stop, because I have an overwhelming urge to go pick up one of those books and plunge into the stories. |
Have you always wanted to be a writer? I wrote my first story at age 7 and have been writing ever since. My most thrilling moment was the first time I actually sold a piece--to the Milwaukee Journal. I got up at dawn to run down to the mini-mart to buy the paper and see my work in print. Few things in life compare.