Meet the Author… Julia Schmeelk
I’ve seen Julia Schmeelk’s tweets pass by more than a few times and always liked her book covers. There be dragons! She writes fantasy romance novels, aimed at an adult audience, which is right up my alley. No, I haven’t read any of her books yet, but I’d love to (if only I had more time)! From chatting with her today, I gathered she’s a person I could hang out with. In fact, she looks a bit like my Australian friend Jody, who is (also?) mad as a hatter, and I think they could have been twins :P. Let’s find out more about Julia Schmeelk.
Biography
I was born a writer, telling stories as a small child and as I matured, I began refining the details. I was not a brilliant student, nor was I particularly outstanding among my peers, but I walked a different path and I did that well. I went to Blackburn College and became a Special Education Teacher, just as I had always planned. After some 30 years in different classrooms, I retired and am now doing something completely different. All those summers when I wasn’t taking classes, I was writing, honing my craft and refining my stories. By the time I retired from that job in 2016, I had over 50 rough drafts completed.
How did you establish yourself online as a writer?
I took some time to work with my editor, Jo Vanderhooft; to establish my website and increase my online presence before I began releasing the NewEarth Series. Currently the first six are out and the seventh is on the way, being polished as we put this interview together. Athena Tivnan is my illustrator and she does incredible work, as does Bryon my media manager.
What is special about your books?
The NewEarth Series is a utopian view on humans and their ability to adapt and accept differences among themselves as well as among the dragons. Each novel has a character with a disability or challenge, each novel features a character’s struggle to overcome being a victim of someone else’s cruelty. Aside from the romance, there are a lot of interesting inclusions in the stories.
Tell us something about yourself that a lot of people don’t know
Not a lot of people know that I love to experiment cook, playing with spices and flavors. I try out new recipes all the time and adjust and tweak until it turns out the way I like.
What was your favorite book as a child?
As a child one of my favorite books was Where The Wild Things Are. It fostered imaginary play, illustrated the escapism of the land of imagination, and was wonderfully adventurous.
What childhood experience influenced you as a writer?
I had some incredible childhood experiences; meeting a gorilla, playing in a laboratory, learning to observe and notice the natural world. Camping, hiking, and canoeing in the wilderness. I would say everything I have seen, done and experienced has in one way or another informed my writing.
Who is your favorite author?
I have so many favorite authors it is impossible to name only one. I am a fan of Shakespeare, Nora Roberts, Feehan, Lora Leigh, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, and many more. My favorite genres include romance, classics, historical, adventure, romantica, epic fantasy, and contemporary.
What is your favorite under-appreciated novel?
My favorite under appreciated novel is Flint of Dreams by author Pete Sheppard. It is sort of outside my genre preference, but it blew me away. I avoid horror because my imagination loves to play with everything and those kinds of ideas do not need to take root in my mind, but his story and characters were amazing. I loved the symbolism and growth.
What is the biggest surprise that you experienced after becoming a writer?
The big surprise for me after publishing was the ready acceptance of other writers. I feel like I am faking it at a gathering of writers, like I have everyone fooled, but I know the truth. My husband and I have attended a few conferences and everyone is very helpful and welcoming, from well established authors to other beginners; that experience was incredible.
What’s your writing process?
I compose in my head, and when I sit down at a computer for the first time, my biggest problem is getting my fingers to keep up with my brain. It comes out in a huge rush, usually in great gobs, trapping me for 18 hours at a time at the computer as I dump the story onto paper. That goes on until the story is done or I am exhausted. Fortunately I have never been plagued with writer’s block or any other twists to my imagination. That being said, I do not try to structure the number of words or dedicated time. I simply get it all down and then go back and read and tweet it until I am satisfied.
Are you a full-time or part-time writer?
I was writing full-time, but alas, I like to eat and working has the added benefit of providing insurance. So my current day job is about 40 hours a week and it has nothing to do with writing. My editing will change out of necessity and I have no idea how the rough drafting will go. My life is a study of adaptations to circumstances. I am sure I will figure it out.
Thanks, Julia, for sharing all this with us. It certainly was nice chatting with you, and I hope we stay in touch. I hope to read your books one day!
You can contact and/or follow Julia Schmeelk via the following social media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/juliaschmeelk10
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/newearth.schmeelk.5
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliaschmeelk/
Website: https://juliaschmeelk.com
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