Monday, January 20, 2014

Ask Me Monday: Life Questions


Happy Monday everyone!

Today's Ask Me Monday question is this:


Dear Julie, have you ever questioned why you have become the way you are now? (by this I mean where your life has taken you) and would you change anything about your life?
-Angelica


Hm.  Where my life has taken me.






Well, I wanted to be an author for years and years, ever since high school I believe. Originally, my Life Goal was to "be a veterinarian when I grew up," but around 7th grade, I discovered the amount of MATH and SCIENCE you had to study to be a vet.  Two subjects that I, 1). barely eeked by in, and 2.) hated with a passion.  So, after that, my focus shifted, and I decided that I wanted to write books for a living.

From then on, I knew I was going to be a writer.  My family couldn't afford a computer when I was growing up, so I wrote longhand in 5-Star notebooks.  Everyday.  All the time.  These notebooks went everywhere with me so I could write wherever I was (even in Math class, which did not make my teachers happy.).

(Short side story: My dad was talking with one of my old high school teachers the other day, and the subject of my books came up.  I went to school in Hawaii, and it seems someone had seen my books in one of the stores in my old town.  My teacher's response?  "Yeah. She wrote all of her books in my class."  XD)

Anyway, even after I (barely) graduated high school, I continued to work on my writing.  I wanted to be an author, and I wasn't going to stop until I got a book published.  I never went to college.  Again, my family couldn't afford it, but really, it never crossed my mind to get a degree.  I didn't want to be anything else; I wanted to be a writer.  I didn't need a college education to write books.

Looking back, this was probably not the wisest career choice.  I absolutely recommend everyone get the best education they can, and have a backup plan in mind, because the road to author-dom is long and hard, and you still need to make a living.  But for me, for my path, I wouldn't go back and change it, even if I could.  One of the best decisions of my life was to attend an annual writing workshop, even though I could barely afford it (one of the downsides to not having a degree; you have to get by on minimum wage), because that's where I learned a great deal about writing, and its also where I met my agent.

Of course, there are things in my past that didn't work out so well.  We all make stupid mistakes when we're young and don't know any better (and even when we're older, and should).  But I do know one thing: I wouldn't go back and change any of it.  Mistakes are a part of life, but they don't have to define you.  And some of those mistakes led to where I am, now: blissfully married, in my dream career, doing what I love every day of my life.  If things went differently, who knows where I'd be?

So no, there is nothing I would change about my past, my choices, or my life.  If you want something, you have to go for it.  There will be setbacks, and roadblocks, and rough patches that you'll have to weather through.  But it you keep slogging forward and keep your eye on the prize, eventually, you'll get to where you were always meant to be.


Thoughts? Comments? Feel free to discuss below.  And if you'd like a question answered, ask me in the comments, and I will answer another next Monday.

-Julie




















20 comments:

  1. Dear Julie, What is the most rewarding part of being an author? How hard is it to make it in the writing world?
    - Rachel

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  2. Do you ever think there will be another Iron Fey book following on Meghan, Ash and Puck?

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  3. How did you come to name your characters? Did you pick random names or did you have an idea of what you wanted them to be? do they reflect anything about them?

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  4. What ever happened to the Iron King manga?

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  5. Very well said! Although tempted to go back and change something in my past (with the magic time machine, of course), you're right that your past shaped where you are today. I like where I am today, so wouldn't change anything either!

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  6. What were you like when you were a kid/teen?

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  7. Wonderful post :). Thank-you Julie!

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  8. Tell us about your family/husband! (And/or growing up in Hawaii. Can you speak Hawaiian?)

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  9. dear julie,
    I just finished Iron Traitor, and let me start off by saying IT WAS AWESOME. the whole way through I kept wondering what would happen next and I couldn't take my eyes away from it. that ending was so crazy and I don't know if I want to yell at the book for ending that way or cry. it was soo good, and I can't wait for the 3rd book (or 7th which ever way you look at it) to come out. you are an amazing writer and I have loved every single one of your iron fey series books. they ended and the only thing you wanted to do was get the next one to see what happened. so my questions for you are when will this next book be coming out so I don't have to chew my nails anymore waiting for it? and I have always wondered how you choose the name for your characters? they are so unique and I adore them.
    -ally

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  10. Hello! First of all, I would just like to say that you are one of my favorite authors and it would be really cool if you would visit my blog (grushasliterarykingdom) :)
    I wanted to ask you about what advice you would give young writers, particularly those in the fantasy/adventure genre?

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  11. Also, as a follow up question, what is it about the fantasy genre that makes you love reading/writing it? The creatures, the magic....?

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  12. Will there ever be another Iron Fey book with Meghan, Ash and Puck as some of the main characters? I would love to see more of Meghan as a Queen.

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  13. Hi, Mrs. Kagawa! I have to say while I am loving your new stuff with the vampires I'm still a HUGE fan of the faeries. That being said my favorite is the Call of the Forgotten series with Ethan and Kenzie and Kierran (super mad at him right now BTW, that ending was amazing and yet very cruel (Ethan must not die!!!!!!!! (or I will die))) and I really enjoy your chibi stuff. You have many sculptures of the Iron Fey characters, a couple of the Blood of Eden charaters, even a few Tallon characters (can't wait for), but only ONE Call of the Forgotten character! I think it'd be awesome if there were some Ethan, Kenzie, or even Razor chibis (Can't you hear Razor saying "Please Pretty Writer Lady. Make Funny Boy, Pretty Girl, or Razor a chibi. Pleeease!" Cause I can.) I really love your work and has really influenced me in my writing. Who knows? Maybe one day a book of mine will be next to a book of yours!

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  14. I was wondering, where did the inspiration come from for your books? Where'd the ideas evolve from? I guess I want to know where the legend of Meghan, Ash, and Puck came from, and even the other stories you've been working on (like Ethan, Kenzie, Kierran, Allie, Zeke, Kanin, and the dragons that will come out later) They're all such complex stories with beginnings, middles, and ends and I know that is no easy task. How'd you come up with all these amazing ideas that I love sooooooooo much.

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  15. OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JUlE THANKS SOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH FOR CHOOSING MY QUESTION THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!!!!!! MAJOR FAN-GIRLING RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!! LOVE YOU JULIE! .....ok done my freak out!

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  16. I would love to know when the next Iron Fay series is coming out. I have loved reading them and finding out what happened to everyone as they go through this maze of life. When I first started reading the Iron Fey series there were already several of the books out so I was able to read strait through without a problem. But then I caught up and started getting anxious about when the next book would come out. Now I find myself, after reading The Iron Traitor, that I am praying and hoping for another book. I guess you can say I'm afraid that you will not be making another one but I know that you will because of how you ended the last one. I guess my question would be, when is the next book coming out and will it still be following Ethan? I would also like to know what's going on with the manga version of The Iron Fey?

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  17. Dear Julie, is there going to be a Blood Of Eden movie coming out? I've read something's about the possibility of it and that the rights got signed by Paramont Pictures, but they were all from 2012 back. Is there a possibility of it turning to a movie? And if so, are auditions for it going to be open for the public? Because I wanted to try and audition for Allison if at all possible! I love your series so much and I look forward to what happens in Forever Song!!!!!

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  18. Dear Julie,
    in the new Iron Fey series, is there going to be any mention of Meghan, Puck and Ash? And I know that you've finished the series, and made novellas and stuff, and that it takes YEARS for a book to get published, but is it possible you're going to make any more add ons to the series? Maybe one about Puck's life? I don't think I'm ever going to read another book again after that series (on somewhat level of joking) I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT! Thankyou so much! Please please please answer my question!
    PS. I might become a writer one day too! I'm only in Year 8, but I still love writing :D

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  19. Dear Julie,
    I always wanted to know how you came up with ideas for the books you wrote? I am currently working toward become a future writer and I would also like you to give me some pointers in becoming a writer. I LOVED the Iron Fey series (especially Ash and Ethan;)) but I also wanted to know why you have always wanted to become a writer. But I just love the idea of writing my own book! -Mia Carrillo

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