Welcome Julie to the Spotlight
About the Author
At thirteen, Julie dedicated her life to
Christ. As a religion major at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas,
she received the American Bible Society’s Religion Major of the Year Award. She
then studied for three semesters in seminary. She is a member of Advanced Writers & Speakers
Association, American Christian Fiction Writers, North Texas Christian Writers,
American Christian Fiction Writers, DiAnn Mill’s Ripplers Group, The Christians
Writers Group, and Christian Writers Fellowship International. A freelance writer and speaker, Julie has published
hundreds of web content and articles with secular and Christian themes, led
retreats, workshops, and Bible studies, and writes regularly for several
Christian websites and publications. In the past three years alone, she has
been published in Devozine and Alive Now Magazines published by
the Upper Room, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Find Your Happiness to be
released October 2011, Good News Daily, The Secret Place, Light from
the Word, and has been commissioned to write a month long commentary on
Philippians and Colossians for The Journey.
How
did you become a Christian writer?
When my husband was alive, we moved a lot for his job - so much that I soon
became unemployable. We relocated to seven cities during the last ten years of
his life. In one week, three people in three states suggested I try writing for
a living. I figured that was a God thing because He always has to tell me more
than once. I took a quick online freelance course, joined a writers' group, and
began to submit articles. Within a few weeks I had contracts. So, I promised
God I would tithe my writing day each morning to Him first. He has honored
that. I write regularly for two Christian women's websites and have been
published in the past three years in two Upper Room magazines, Chicken Soup
for the Soul, The Secret Place, Good News Daily and The Journey,
amongst others. I am also eking out a living as a freelance writer, author and
public speaker even though I am now widowed.
What
is your passion?
Speaking to Christian women - leading workshops and retreats. All four of my
non-fiction books came out of retreats I led. They are -
P.R.A.Y.I.N.G:Bringing
Power and Purpose to Your Prayers
in which I show how each letter is a form of prayer.
What
Can She Tell Us?-
A Bible study on the unnamed women in the New Testament.
Song
Notes- a
collection of devotionals on the Psalms.
Between
the Window and the Door,
a study which looks at why God places us in the in-between times through both
life experiences and Biblical examples.
What
is your fiction novel called?
Focused. It was released earlier this year.
What
is it about?
Jen is in middle age maliase. Her parents have passed, her son has flown nest,
and her husband, Jeff, is often absent, even when he is in his beloved
recliner. Will her new trifocals help her focus on her faith and her fidelity
once her newly divorced high school beau resurfaces in her life?
What
do you hope this book accomplishes?
I read a statistic that claimed if a marriage survives the first seven years,
80% of divorces will occur within a year after the death of a parent or the
children leaving home. I wanted to address this, but in a fiction format so
people could follow both Jeff and Christina's story. I hope readers will begin
to see why a marriage gone stale is worth fighting for. Even if you have a good
marriage or are not currently married, it will make you smile, and perhaps cry
a bit. It is a heart warming, and at times an honest and humorous, look at real
people in real life. So far, the women, and a few men, who have read it says it
is a very good, realistic read without being preachy.
Any
tips for upcoming authors? No
pun intended, but stay focused on what God is calling you to write. Also,
be patient in His timing and definition of what will be your success.
Continue
to grow in your craft by graciously accepting positive critiques from authors
who have been published as well as attending conferences, workshops, and
becoming an active member in mentoring groups either online or over someone's
dining room table.
If you
feel this is your passion and God's calling, do not give up. In the course of
writing over the past four years, I lost my husband and lost the use of my
right hand. Praise God, through surgery, I can now type with three fingers on
that hand again, though often my letters get jumbled up because I cannot feel
the keys.
How
can readers contact you?
Go to my website www.juliebcosgrove.com.
There is a contact tab to click on which takes you to a form you can fill in.
Also, they can make comments on my blog - Where Did You
Find God Today? and follow me on either Twiter@JulieBCosgrove
or through Goodreads.
Book Giveaway
I will
offer a giveaway, today. The winner will receive in the mail a softcover copy
of Focused free of charge AND a coupon for 15% off plus free shipping
and handling on their choice of one of my nonfiction books if ordered through
me. To be eligible, you must leave a comment with your email address on this
blog, or on mine over the next three days. The winner will be chosen at random.
