Author

GENRES I WRITE:

• Ghost Fiction
• Dark Fantasy
• Science Fiction
• Mystery/Thriller/Suspense

PUBLISHED NOVELS:

• FIND THEM, ghost fiction suspense/thriller, standalone, published July 18, 2023
• MYSTIFIED, a ghost fiction mystery, standalone, published March 22, 2022
• THE ONE AND ONLY, book #1 in a dark-fantasy series, published April 24, 2018
• THE TETHER, book #2, published April 23, 2019
• THE TURNING POINT, book #3, published June 1, 2020

WRITING ACCOLADES:

• 03/05/2024: Find Them earned “BRONZE” in the 2023-2024 Reader Views Literary Awards within the Horror category!
• 02/11/2024: Find Them earned a 5-Star Professional Review Seal from Readers’ Favorite on 09/16/2023!
• 02/02/2024: Find Them earned “SECOND RUNNER UP” (in the Paranormal genre) in the 2023 Indies Today Awards!
• 01/20/2023: Find Them earned “HONORABLE MENTION” (in the Fantasy genre) from Writer’s Digest in the 2023 Self-Publishing E-Book Awards!
• November 2023: Find Them was selected and featured for one of the best FIRST LINES by BookLife.
• August 2023: Find Them was designated as an “EDITOR’S PICK” by BookLife, the indie subsidiary of Publishers Weekly.
• August 2023: Find Them earned a gold “FIVE STAR REVIEW” sticker from Reader Views.
• January 2023: Mystified earned “HONORABLE MENTION” (in the Fantasy genre) from Writer’s Digest in the 2022 Self-Publishing E-Book Awards!
• July 2022: Mystified was selected and featured for one of the best FIRST LINES by BookLife. 2022. The recognition was published in the July 25, 2022, issue of Publishers Weekly.
• June 2022: The staff of IndieReader included Mystified as one of the top books reviewed in June 2022!
• May 2022: Mystified earned an “INDIEREADER APPROVED” designation and sticker for receiving 4-stars or higher in its professional reviews.
• February 2021: The Turning Point was awarded “HONORABLE MENTION” from Writer’s Digest in its 2020 Self-Published E-Book Awards!
• October 2020: The Turning Point was named a 2020 BookLife Prize “SEMI-FINALIST” in the Sci Fi/Fantasy/Horror category (the national BookLife Prize Self-Publishing Fiction Competition is sponsored by Publishers Weekly).
• July 2020: The Turning Point’s was selected and featured for one of the best FIRST LINES by BookLife.

WHAT AM I READING?

• PROJECT HAIL MARY by Andy Weir

MY TBR STACK FOR 2023:

WORK HISTORY:

• 17 years with local school system, the last 11 in the capacity of Public Relations Coordinator, including PR writer, webmaster, and social media facilitator
• Contributor to education column for two Gannett newspapers
• Former Corporate Publications Editor for a leading poultry company
• Technical writer and graphic design/printing broker

EDUCATION & NOTABLES:

• BA in Communications from Penn State (Main Campus)
• Graduated with Distinction
• Varsity Swimming

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS:

• Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)

TIDBITS WHICH MIGHT SURPRISE YOU:

• Early childhood (age 2 to 5 years old) lived in Mexico; primary language was Spanish
• Raised in a haunted house (7 years to 18) in West Chester, PA, called Bleecker Hall

• Swimming exchange student to Wuppertal, Germany, and my host Regine will be a friend beyond our lifetimes
• Former Jet Ski racer (standup); ranked #8 in nation (for novice) in 1998

CURRENT HOBBIES:

• Reading, of course!
• Hiking
• ATV/UTV riding
• Paddle-boarding
• My Pups: Ote Coyote and Newton Feathersbee

WHAT PASSIONS FUEL MY STORYTELLING?

• Pairing fantastical elements with science, leaving readers to wonder…are they possible?
• Survival themes
• Strong women
• Love or romantic elements
• Diversity

WRITING STYLE:

• Genre blending
• Multiple points of view
• Third person (close)
• Short chapters
• Sprinkles of humor

MASTERPIECES (Best of the Best):

• Contemporary: THE 7 1/2 DEATHS OF EVELYN HARDCASTLE by Stuart Turton
• Classic: DRACULA by Bram Stoker

SHEPHERD PLATFORM:

1. Check out my list of favorites for Haunting Plausible Ghost Fiction: Julia Ash’s List
2. Here is my list of Favorite Reads of 2023: Julia Ash’s Favorites

ALL-TIME FAVORITES (*Duology/Trilogy/Series):

• BIRD BOX* by Josh Malerman
• THE SEPTEMBER HOUSE by Carissa Orlando
• COME WITH ME by Ronald Malfi
• MEXICAN GOTHIC by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
• DRACUL by Dacre Stoker and J.D. Barker
• THE LIFE I LEFT BEHIND by Colette McBeth
• DAUGHTERS OF THE LAKE by Wendy Webb
• THE WINTER PEOPLE by Jennifer McMahon
• THE PASSAGE* by Justin Cronin
• THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS* by M. R. Carey
• A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES* by Sarah J. Maas
• THE RAVEN BOYS* by Maggie Stiefvater
• WORLD WAR Z by Max Brooks
• THE 5TH WAVE* by Rick Yancey
• THE HUNGER GAMES* by Suzanne Collins
• DIVERGENT* by Veronica Roth
• THE STAND by Stephen King
• TWILIGHT* by Stephenie Meyer

FAVORITE ALL-TIME HEROINE & HERO:

• From THE HUNGER GAMES: Katniss Everdeen (flawed, fierce, and loyal)
• From THE LAST KINGDOM: Uhtred of Bebbanburg (emotionally wounded, fierce, and loyal)

FAVORITE MOVIES and TV SERIES:

• Signs (All-time Favorite)
• I Am Legend (Second All-time Favorite)
• The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Parts 1 & 2
• Ghost
• The Sixth Sense
• The Hunger Games
• The Last Kingdom
• Yellowstone
• Ozark
• Squid Game
• Suits
• Avatar
• The Shining
• Jurassic Park
• Big Little Lies
• Kill Bill
• Spartacus
• Downton Abbey
• Pride & Prejudice (with Keira Knightley & Matthew Macfadyen)
• The Edge
• Dirty Dancing
• Underworld
• Meet Joe Black
• Dark Shadows (the original series!)
• True Blood
• Poldark

FAVORITE WRITING RESOURCE BOOKS:

• STRUCTURING YOUR NOVEL by K. M. Weiland
• WRITING A KILLER THRILLER by Jodie Renner
• OUTLINING YOUR NOVEL by K. M. Weiland
• UNDERSTANDING SHOW, DON’T TELL by Janice Hardy
• SAVE THE CAT by Blake Snyder
• PLOT PERFECT by Paula Munier
• GUIDE TO MAGAZINE ARTICLE WRITING by Kerrie Flanagan

FAVORITE AUTHOR RESOURCES:

1. The Manuscript Academy (http://manuscriptacademy.com)
2. Manuscript Wish List (http://www.manuscriptwishlist.com)
3. Writer’s Digest video tutorials (https://tutorials.writersdigest.com)
4. Query Tracker (https://querytracker.net)