Interview with Julie Fugate

Introduction

Fans of urban fantasy and popular young adult novels will want to check out this new release from Julie Fugate. But it’s no cheap imitation—Julie’s stories infuse God’s presence into the supernatural world of angels and the natural world of humans, a feature she finds lacking in other similar series. Read on to find out how ACFW helped her on her path to publication.

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Betrayal is your debut novel. Tell us about your writing journey.

I’ve always been an avid reader, spending all my childhood allowance on books. Writing stories became a hobby for me. As a child I began writing about my pets that solved mysteries. My dad was also an avid reader and hobby writer and in true Winnie-the-Pooh style, he wove stories for me that I still have to this day.

I didn’t get serious about publishing until 2013 when I joined ACFW. It was there, under the wing of critique groups, classes, and my very first conference, that I began to hone and develop my writing skills. At that time I’d been writing young adult contemporary stories.

That same year, I participated in NaNoWriMo, starting a new project and delving into Urban Fantasy. In 2015 I pitched that urban fantasy to Clean Reads during a young adult social media party. They offered me a contract and that book was published that same year.

You've independently published a book. What has that experience been like for you? What would you do differently the next time

The Experience: It was scary and exciting. No matter how much you think you’ve prepared, issues come up, and my small publisher was there to answer questions and help with all the things I didn’t know. I also had a lot of input. I loved that I got to choose my cover (my publisher even arranged a photo shoot for my niece).

I was surprised to find myself part of another community within the publishing company. I’ve met other authors, some more experienced, there to support each other and offer advice. I love the free exchange of information.

What I’ve learned: Details. Details. Details. Seeing the publication process from beginning to end brings everything into a new light. For instance, I didn’t know to ask for a final edited copy. Such a simple thing.

Garnering early reviews with this would have put me ahead of the game before my first book actually came out. It also would have also helped me realize a few editing issues that had been missed. Since there was a gap between eBook and Print I was fortunate to work these out in between.

What I’d do different: In general I would have experimented and had fun with social media way before I actually did. I’m still getting used to how easy it is to connect this way.

As a writer I’m still very much a student. I peruse the free ACFW monthly classes, even if I can’t participate. It’s a wonderful way to refresh what you know and pick up some great tips. I read books on the craft because my goal is to improve with every book I put out. Conferences are wonderful because they are jam-packed with knowledge and friends (or to-be friends).

Your book features angels and humans and a few human-angel hybrids. Were you influenced in your writing by books like Twilight?

I liked many of the clean-read and moral aspects of the Twilight series, but this book really came out due to my annoyance that other angel books I’d read kept God at a distance or the Christian faith completely out of the picture. Why couldn’t a secular, young adult book, be honest that God is involved? That was the driving force behind this urban fantasy, to keep God on the throne and slip in some Biblical information/knowledge without coming across too preachy.

Anyone who likes Urban Fantasy should give it a try.

Though young adult books are often targeted to teens, we know plenty of not-so-young adults like them, too. Why is that?

For me, young adult books are for the most part clean to read. Also, it’s fun to be transported back to those days of impulses and firsts. Lol.

What do you do when you're not writing?

Writing is now part of my lifestyle. I still work full-time, and try not to neglect my time with God and family.

What books are on your to-read list?

My list is huge! My Kindle is full of ‘good deals’ and a book that enticed me because eBooks are so cost effective. If I really love a book, I try to buy the print version. Okay, that ‘to buy’ list is pretty large too.

I love to read almost anything but since I have to manage my time carefully, if I read something, I try to stick to young adult because that’s what I write. I also love books about the craft to pick up tips to improve. Most recently, it was Dazzling Dialogue by James Scott Bell. I really loved the way he suggests dialogue should be written from the perspective that every character has an agenda they want to accomplish. Something about that spoke to me.

Tell us about your furry friends!

Furry friends and writing buddies—I’ve always loved animals. Even had a pet deer once that my family trained to come running when we yelled her name. I’ve been called Snow White many times because animals and I tend to connect.

My cats are bad for jumping on my car when I pull in the driveway so they can get loved on first. My Maltese sits next to me at the kitchen table where I write—he’s very possessive of his place by my side. My German Shepherds are always lounging nearby. I take frequent mental breaks, especially if I feel the creativity dying, so they are ready at a moment’s notice to take a quick walk with me.

What's next for you?

I’ll be at the ACFW conference this year, so make sure you say hi! I’m volunteering along with several other lovely people in the prayer room. I continue to write, finishing up the next installment in the Kings of Renown series while also continuing to go back and edit my contemporary stories with new insights I’ve learned along the way.

Julie Fugate’s social links

• Instagram: jfugatewrites
• Twitter: @jfugatewrites
• GoodReads: Julie Fugate
• Facebook: julie.e.fugate

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Lisa Bartelt is a child of the flatlands fulfilling her dream of living near mountains in Pennsylvania. She loves reading, writing, and listening to stories—true ones, made-up ones, and the ones in between—preferably with a cup of coffee in hand. Wife, mom of two, writer, ordinary girl, Lisa blogs about books, faith, family, and the unexpected turns of life at http://lisabartelt.com.