Q&A With Julie Morgan 

Julie Morgan is the USA Today Bestselling Author of several series and standalone novels. Julie’s series are Blackthorn Academy for Supernaturals, Speed Dating With Denizens of the Underworld, The Covenant of New Orleans, Blood Chronicles Series, Rise of the Alpha Series, The Alchemy Series, Fairytale Retellings, Chronicles of The Veil Series, & The Misadventures Series. Julie’s standalone novels are Dick co-authored with Gracen Miller, Dragon Master co-authored with Marianne Morea & Stone Obsession. I have the honor of interviewing Julie & discussing her many magical stories! 

Q: Julie, welcome to Book Notions! I’m happy to be interviewing you! Would you please give a brief description of your work beginning with the newest and ending with the oldest? 

A: The newest work I’m currently writing is a Young Adult paranormal romance series. It’s about demon hunters throughout the world, but this story is based in Clearwater, Florida. I don’t want to get too far into what this story is about as the world it is set in is still being created.

The most recent published work was Monsters Magic in the Blackthorn Academy series. 

Prior to that was the Speed Dating with the Denizens of the Underworld, Blood Chronicles (The Covenant of New Orleans spin off), Rise of the Alpha series, The Covenant of New Orleans series, Chronicles of the Veil, The Fairytale Chronicles, the Misadventure stories (Misadventures with a Firefighter and Misadventures with a Lawyer), and wrapping it up, The Alchemy series. I have an active imagination and am constantly writing out concepts of potential stories.

Q: I enjoy reading fantasy and magical realism. What drew you into writing fantasy? Do you enjoy world building or creating characters the most?

A: What drew me to fantasy goes back to my early childhood. I loved unicorns, watching The Hobbit, and would daydream about fairies and angels. Then, when I became a teenager, I discovered Dracula (Bram Stoker to be specific), The Lost Boys, Frankenstein, and the Wolfman. This started the road for me where I dove in, feet first, to the world of the paranormal.

As for world building or creating the characters, I love finding out who the characters I’m writing are. The world building comes along with them. I pour a lot of myself into these characters. It allows us, as the writers, to pull from the worst of humanity to create villains, and the best versions of ourselves to challenge them with a hero. And sometimes, we may find the hero is the villain! Any story is only as good as the villain presented.

Q: Do you start the day with breakfast and a cup of coffee or perhaps a walk around the neighborhood before you sit down at your desk to plot & write? How many hours a day do you spend plotting, writing and editing? 

A: Coffee for sure then I spend the early part of the morning with my family. We help our daughter get ready for school. Once she’s off, I sit down with my coffee, relax for a moment (good headspace is important), then pull out my working manuscript and dive in. I spend anywhere from two to three hours a day writing. If it’s more than three hours, I need time to walk around, stretch, and get reacquainted with myself. I may do chores or go for a walk to regroup.

Q: How long does it take you to write a book? Are there any messages and emotions you hope readers takeaway after they finish reading your books? 

A: The length of time to write a book varies person to person and book to book. I’ve written full length novels in less than a month, and I do not recommend this. I’ve also taken a year to write a story. Each story is different and can take as long as it needs to be written. Much of it can depend on the muse and how much time has been allotted to write.

As for messages and emotions, the answer is absolutely! I do not write weak heroines. My ladies are strong willed and fight for what is right and will fight for the ones who have no voice. The stories I write feature real life situations and how these characters come out on the other side. Whether it’s through trauma healing with a partner or counseling with a therapist, my characters are feeling real on the page and in the heart. 

Q: Can you reveal any details about any upcoming releases and current stories you are writing? 

A: I cannot reveal any details or plot about the current story I’m writing, other than it’s a Young Adult paranormal romance about a demon hunter set in Clearwater, Florida. I’m working with my team in regard to release dates and will have more on this soon. Right now we’re in the beginning stages of the story writing.

Q: Congratulations on your books being on the USA Today Bestsellers List! How does it feel that your books are USA Today Bestsellers? 

A: It’s very exciting! It’s a challenge & goal many of us set early on to achieve. I may have screamed when it happened. 

Q: Out of all the characters you created, which ones do you believe you are most alike & why?

A: I cannot say I’m necessarily alike with any of my characters, but there are pieces of me in each one I create. My favorite book I’ve written to date is Blood Chronicles: Paris. This story ruined me in the best way. I didn’t want the story to end. It’s dark, heavy, and I put the female main character through Hell. However, she does come out on the other side as a very lucky lady. I personally think you’d enjoy reading this story. It’s deep and pulls you into her world and her hell immediately and doesn’t let go.

Q: What is your advice to future authors on how to deal with criticism, online trolls and people who are not as supportive of their writing career? Whatever wisdom you have will probably help many people. 

A: I’ve been doing this now for 11 years. The best advice is as follows:

• Follow your dream. If the characters are talking, write. 
• Learn how to plot, unless you’re a panster.

• Panster is someone who writes by the seat of their pants. No plot. No outline. They’re just as surprised by what comes out as you are reading it.

• Not everyone will love what you write, and that’s ok. Allow the person reading your book to review it. They may criticize it but consider what is provided. It may be helpful information (constructive), but it could also be a DNF (did not finish). Don’t let the negative overpower the positive. Keep at it, keep improving, keep moving forward.
• Online trolls are what they are: trolls. Do not put yourself in a position that could get you targeted. Stay out of drama and keep opinions of anything to yourself. You never know who is watching and judging you based off what is being said. Many may lose readers by simply stating an opinion different from theirs. 
• If someone is looking to write and has people not supportive in this adventure, then the writer does not have to share their work with this person/s. This is a discussion that never has to take place. This includes family members. If they’re aware and do not agree or support the idea of publishing a story, that’s their prerogative, just as it is for you to write it. Never let that stop you.
• Most of all, write what you love. Write because you love it. Write to let emotions out and create that best friend you long to see in yourself, and the lover we all want but will never find because book boyfriends, unfortunately, are not real. It’s a sad truth, but there it is. 

Q: Does Hollywood currently have the rights to your work? I hope they do. Hollywood has no creative ideas anymore and I would like to see more originality, especially with fantasy make a comeback! 

A: No, Hollywood does not have the rights to any of my work. I would love to see more fantasy movies and series as well.