Interview with Julie C. Gilbert

Author of The Quinn Case

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

I grew up and still live in New Jersey, USA.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

I grew up in Central New Jersey (yes, that’s a thing). But in recent years, I moved up to Northern New Jersey for my job. I’m a high school chemistry teacher, so I wanted to be near the school where I work.

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

I’ve always loved books, but high school kind of annoyed me because everybody wanted to look so deeply into the stories that every blasted color had special meaning. I thought: What if the story came together just for fun? I often have things that mean stuff in my stories, but not everything. Sometimes, the color of a napkin is just the random color that popped into my head that second.

The summer before I entered college, I worked in a grocery store as a cashier. It’s not a bad job but not exactly mentally stimulating either. So, I started writing to entertain myself. Scrapped that story, but the addiction had already taken hold. So, I wrote another story. Every summer for several years I picked a project and ran with it.

Independent publishing was mostly done by companies back then, but soon thereafter, Amazon became the first major platform to make true self-publishing a thing.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

My fiction collection consists of a variety of clean, character-driven tales in multiple genres. Many of the characters find they have some sort of Gift and struggle to find the meaning and purpose in how to use it. Others are gifted investigators who serve and protect, even if it costs them dearly.

From lightest to heaviest, I’d say you have Heartfelt Cases (Christian mystery), Fatal Interest (mystery/thriller), Redeemer Chronicles (MG fantasy), Devya’s Children (YA scifi), Shadow Council (mystery/thriller), Anotech Chronicles (science fiction), Scratched Off (mystery/suspense), and Beyond Broken Pencils (contemporary, literary – about a school shooting).

The Quinn Case is a prequel to the Heartfelt Cases series. It might help to actually start with The Collins Case, which is permanently free (Christian mystery).

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

It really depends on the series. Beyond Broken Pencils isn’t a happy story. You can get that much from the blurb. But it’s a great book for teachers, parents, and students, especially in America because school shootings though rare are a terrifying reality.

The Anotech Chronicles will hold more appeal for those who enjoy long, epic science fiction sagas with princes and politics.

Whether someone’s looking for sheer entertainment or something to think about, I’ve probably got something that will appeal. That said, the opposite is true. Since it’s such a wide variety, I’m aware that not every series will appeal to all readers.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

Writing and publishing are only half the battle. Marketing is a huge (not necessarily the most fun) part of the business. I hadn’t expected to work this hard to put stories out in the world and then get them visibility. The audience size has somewhat shrunk in the last decade while the pool of books has exploded.

Audiobooks are awesome to listen to and to commission. That surprised me.

If you could, what advice would you give to your past self before embarking on this journey?

Save your money for making audiobooks. They’re one of the most rewarding mediums to publish in. Oh, and just wait a few years. Real self-publishing will take off soon.

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

The humbling and intriguing part of this is that I may never know who my stories reach. Of course, I’d love for the numbers to be up in the millions or billions. More realistically, my fervent hope is for the couple of hundred thousand who run across the titles and actually read them are impacted powerfully by their encounters with my characters.

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

Marketing is still very much a mystery to me. I have a website and maintain a social media presence. I’ve even taken “marketing” courses from highly successful indie authors, though I’m realizing much of their continued financial success is the fees they get for their “classes.”

Not finding an easy answer to the marketing side of the business has been the frustrating part.

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

a) Writing realistic dialogue and situations is something I’m good at. I think it comes from being comfortable talking to myself.

b) I’ve become decent at writing book descriptions. This is a place many authors struggle a lot.

c) I’m better at the one-to-one connections through social media or my newsletter. The list isn’t huge, but it’s been very interesting to stop and talk with some of the people on there. Learning their stories is fascinating and sometimes heartbreaking.

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

a) Focusing on one series. If the publishing list wasn’t a giant clue, I sort of like switching things up. It keeps me interested, but kinda makes the marketing side a nightmare.

b)I don’t do my own covers. That’s one thing I always hire out for.

c) Everything else besides personal connections. Running effective ams ads.

When do you think you will write your next book?

I just wrapped up a book about bringing stories to the audio-book format. I’m 100% ready to jump back into fiction. One of my audio productions should be headed to the presses over the weekend. Once that’s done, I’ll turn my attention to the next story. I’ve dabbled and pecked at an outline, but I’ve not fully committed to a story just yet.

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

Self-published. I’m not opposed to traditional, but I’m a tad too impatient for the process. I enjoy the ability to write, edit, publish, and commission an audio-book for a title within a few months to a year.