An Interview With Julie A Gerber

Today I am interviewing fellow author and marketing manager/consultant, Julie A Gerber, who has written several books and who provides excellent help and support when it comes to marketing and social media management.

Welcome to ARCBookBlog, my little corner of the web, Julie, sit down and put your feet up, the tea will be ready in a few moments.

First off, tell me a bit about yourself:

Hi, I’m Julia and I am the founder of Away We Go Media- social media management, author services, and consulting for authors, blogger at Hits and Misses, Business Manager/Assistant Publisher at TopShelf Indie Authors & Books, co-author of Navigating INDIEWORLD: A Beginner’s Guide To Marketing and Self-Publishing Your Book and Amazon best-seller, Tortured Souls: The House On Wellfleet Bluffs.

And now a few questions

Me – How long have you been writing?

Julie – I have been writing for almost nine years. First as a blogger, then as a published author.

Me – Is writing something you’ve always wanted to do?

Julie – Not really. I am a nurse, but I guess I didn’t want to do that either since I am not working in my field of study. I keep my license to practice nursing as a back-up plan. As a teen, I wanted to be a marine biologist. As a child, I wanted to be the female equivalent of Indiana Jones. Now, I just want to help authors sell books and that makes me happy.

Me – How would you describe yourself as a writer, a plotter or a pantser?

Julie – I do not plan things. I wing it. Unless I’m mad. When I’m mad, I like to plot.

Me – Do you write every day?

Julie – Not at all. I wish I were more like some of my clients. I have a few that schedule time to work each day and they stick to their schedules. I do make an effort to work on something related to writing every day.

Me – What is your favourite genre?

Julie – My favorite genre is anything apocalyptic. Zombies, EMPs. End of the world stuff that changes how we live. Those are the things that scare me. I also love paranormal and historical books.

Me -Is your favourite genre one you write in?

Julie – Not yet, but I have been toying with the idea of switching things up!

Me – If you could have written any book in history, what is it?

Julie – That is a tough one. It would be a tie between Gone With The Wind and the series, The Chronicles Of Narnia. I live in Georgia and I have always been fascinated by Margaret Mitchell and her tale of the Civil War era South. If I had written the book, Scarlett would have been a lot more trouble than she was in Mitchell’s version. The Chronicles of Narnia was a huge part of my childhood. I read and reread those books until the pages were falling apart. To have had the opportunity to touch so many young lives would have been an honor that I would have loved to have.

Me – What would you like to achieve with your writing?

Julie – I have two goals. With Navigating Indieworld, I would like to help someone. If someone takes away something from that book and it helps them grow as a writer and achieve something they were putting off or afraid to do on their own, then I have succeeded. With all other books, I want someone to remember a character, a place, or a time. If I write something that the reader thinks about after the cover is closed, then my wish has come true. I consider that a success.

Me – Which of your books is your favourite?

Julie – Navigating Indieworld. The book carries the theme of paying it forward and it has so many positive thoughts and words of encouragement within the pages.

Me – Tell me about your next release.

Julie – I am working on a book based loosely on the story of my great aunt. She was a fascinating woman who lived a very interesting life. For years, I have been a beta reader for Carole P. Roman. The tables have turned and she is now beta reading for me. She is a wonderful mentor. She’s not only teaching me a few things when it comes to writing, but she is also helping me sharpen my game when it comes to beta reading!

Book Name: Tortured Souls: The House On Wellfleet Bluffs and Navigating Indieworld: A Beginner’s Guide To Self-Publishing And Marketing Your Book

Book Blurb:

Tortured Souls:

In some towns, the past is easily forgotten. Not in Wellfleet Bluffs. Lynne and Jason buy their dream house online and quickly move to the quaint little town. After unexplained events send them looking for answers, will they become a forgotten part of history or will they find the answers and help the ghosts of the past find peace?

Release date: April 25, 2016

Buy the book here – Amazon Kindle

Navigating Indieworld:

Social media guru, Julie A. Gerber and award-winning author of forty-three best-selling books, Carole P. Roman, team up to travel the winding road of self-publishing, promoting, and marketing a book. Join these two experts as they share their vast store of experience in an easy to read book.
Learn why you need a beta reader and the importance of a good editor. Make a list of what you need to do when choosing an illustrator. Compare the many ways to promote your book.
Navigating Indieworld will end up being your travel guide as you journey from writer to published author.