Do you have a book in you? If you feel you might, that’s why I have this series of author interviews and why I created the Spirit-Led Authoring Course.
This segment: Writing a Series and Crafting Strong Characters
One of the delights of my journey has been connecting with amazing authors and sharing their insights with you. Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing bestselling author, Julie Coulter Bellon. A talented romantic suspense novelist, Julie has written 32 books in total, winning numerous awards, including a RONE Award for “All Fall Down.”
In this segment of our interview, we delve into Julie’s writing journey, from her initial Canadian Spies series to her current projects. Julie shares her approach to writing compelling series and how she crafts strong, resilient characters. Whether you’re a fan of suspense or historical romance, Julie’s dedication to storytelling will inspire you.
Watch the Interview Clip
Julie’s Writing Journey
Julie discusses how she got started writing romantic suspense twenty years ago with her Canadian Spies series with her original publisher – Spring Creek Books owned by the now-infamous Chad Daybell. Switching publishers after her first series, Julie wrote her Doctors in Danger series and then the Hostage Negotiation series, where she created one of her favorite characters, Claire—a strong, fiery, and resilient woman who defies the damsel-in-distress stereotype.
Julie didn’t stop there. She transitioned into historical romance with her Veterans Club series, particularly focusing on the Regency era, her favorite time period. Despite initial nervousness about writing in this genre, Julie’s book “The Marquess Meets His Match” became a bestseller and won several awards. She’s even written two children’s books which you can hear about in this clip from my full interview with Julie.
I’m currently reading her Griffin Force series, which I highly recommend. How about reading it along with me?
Organic Planning and Character Development
One interesting aspect of Julie’s process is how organically she plans her series. For example, her Hostage Negotiation series, which includes titles like “All Fall Down,” “Ashes Ashes,” “Pocket Full of Posies,” and “Ring Around the Rosies,” wasn’t initially planned with this thematic structure. Julie adjusted and refined as she went, learning to enhance her process along the way.
Julie also talks about naming characters and how she’s learned to better plan names and titles to fit the broader scope of her series. Despite these organic methods, Julie’s stories fall into place as intended, enriching the reader’s experience with every subsequent book.
Promoting Strength and Diversity in Characters
Julie emphasizes the importance of writing female characters who are not just waiting to be rescued but are active participants in their own stories. Celebrating feminine strength and resilience, her characters are often inspired by real-life experiences and historical figures.
Visit Julie at www.JulieCoulterBellon.com
Explore More with Spirit-Led Authoring
I hope you found Julie’s insights as inspiring as I did. If you’re an aspiring author looking to develop your writing skills, consider joining my “Spirit-Led Authoring” course. This comprehensive course covers everything from writing and publishing to marketing your book, all guided by principles to help you align with your passion and purpose.
Unlock your potential as an author by joining Spirit-Led Authoring today! Learn More
I’m excited to support you on your writing journey.
Thank you for reading and watching! Stay tuned for more inspiring interviews and writing tips.
Marnie Pehrson Kuhns is a best-selling author, consultant, musician and Certified SimplyAlign Method™ Practitioner who blends decades of business acumen with spiritual wisdom, nature observation, and music to mentor you past barriers, fears, and doubts to find greater peace, love, joy, and fulfillment in daily life. Her motto is “let it be easy.” Her practical, down-to-earth style helps her clients and students accomplish their goals and aspirations in a graceful, fulfilling way. Whether you’re trying to write and publish a book or stay spiritually connected while you deal with the challenges of life and career, Marnie is a resource to you.
Marnie is a bestselling author with 33+ fiction and non-fiction titles ranging from historical fiction and romance to business and inspirational titles. She blogs about nature, creativity, inner peace, and spiritual topics at www.CreationGirl.com and lives and works alongside her husband Dave at Spirit Tree Farms.