Julie Caldwell published her first book in the summer of 2023, Of Witches and Ruin, a YA fantasy with 90s Sabrina the Teenage Witch vibes. Her next book is the sequel, Of War and Magic, and releases in May. 

Tell us about Of Witches and Ruin.
Of Witches and Ruin is a Young Adult Fantasy centered around sixteen-year-old witch Ebony Amberwood who has been banished from her home world of Amethystia and now has to live in the human world. Her two human best friends, Sam and Melissa, help Ebony when an unknowable force threatens to destroy both realms, and they go an adventure filled with magic, mystery, mayhem, and even some romance!
 
What's your favorite line from that book?
"You are a force to be reckoned with. I pity anyone who goes against you.”
 
Share a core memory that made you want to be a writer.
My mom used to read to me every night when I was a child, and she would do these silly voices for the characters and I remember being so enthralled I wouldn't sleep.
 
What was your favorite book as a child?
Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I loved the humor in it and the message that even if you're different you are still wonderful and important.
 
What finally made you decide to write a novel?
I've wanted to write a novel for as long as I can remember but I've never had the discipline to do it. I finally told myself that if I didn't get it done at that moment, it would never get done.
 
What piece of advice do you have for a new author?
Give yourself grace. Writing is a skill that takes work, and no one is perfect.
 
What is something you'd like readers to know about you as a person?
I am very excitable. Especially if it is about a subject I am passionate about.
 
What are you working on right now?
I'm working on Book One in my next series. This series will be based on the daughter of a certain figure from Greek Mythology.

You can find all of Julie's links at https://linktr.ee/authorjuliecaldwell
She is @AuthorJulieCaldwell on YouTube, Threads, Instagram, and TikTok
​#MeetTheAuthor

Merriam-Webster.com
Listen, Merriam-Webster has some issues, though it's gotten a bit better with slang and "vulgar" words in the past few years. But it's the industry standard and should be your first stop to see what the conventional spelling, hyphenation, etc. are. 
 
WordHippo.com
I love this thesaurus. It's easy to use, includes all kinds of slang, vulgar words, and idiomatic/phrasal synonyms. It's easy to switch to antonyms, shows UK vs. US spellings, and has a dictionary, too, in case MW comes up empty.
 
Grammarly.com
I personally prefer the paid version of ProWriting Aid, but for free, Grammarly is much better for basic grammar, punctuation, and spelling. 
 
Behind the Name Random Name Generator
Behindthename.com/random
Lots of options to choose from. I come up with lists and then chuck them into the doc as needed. If you click on the name, it will tell you the origin and meaning, too, so you don't accidentally name your princess Buttercup. Speaking for a "friend" (it's me, I was trying to be too clever).
 
Other Name Generator
FantasyNameGenerators.com is great for everything else. Like, literally everything else. Ships, taverns, hotels, companies, planets, parks, castle, dragons, angels, pirates, drinks, brands, plagues…
 
The Writing with Color Blog
WritingWithColor.tumblr.com
If you're trying to write people who are not white in a conscious and conscientious manner, this is a great resource. 
 
Writer Beware
https://www.sfwa.org/other-resources/for-authors/writer-beware/
The Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association provides this site for free to help writers avoid scams and shady businesses. Plus, it offers basic information on some basics, like copyright, editors, agents, and the like. 
 
The Editorial Freelancers Association 
The-efa.org
Under their resources list is a free "New Author Guide." Lots of great basic information about the different kinds of editing and how to find reputable editors. 
 
Jane Friedman
JaneFriedman.com
Lots of great free business and writing advice for all writers, whether you're self-published or go the traditional route. There's also a paid newsletter and courses you can take. 
 
CritiqueMatch.com
A free resource for finding critique partners and beta readers. Free to join, then you have an option to find free partners or search through their vetted editing professionals if you're looking to pay for certain services.
 
David Gaughran
His Starting From Zero class is so helpful for wrapping your head around marketing a book. It's free if you sign up for his newsletter, which is another fantastic resource. He talks building a platform, cover design, deals newsletters, and ads. It's a great overview that you can return to when you're ready to tackle each step.
(just google David Gaughran Starting From Zero and you'll find it. He also has a wonderful YouTube channel)
 
Google Docs
Listen, there are better word processors out there, but few free ones are as good and intuitive as Google Docs. If you have no money for anything else, this will get the job done. You can even create EPUBs using Google Docs, so if money is super tight, you can still put out a decent book. 
#Writing Tips

New year, new feature
Yes, I know it's March. I've been swamped. Authoring and Editing are hard and take a lot of brain stuff. Energy, yeah, that's the word I was looking for.
 
Anyhoo...
Author Interviews are coming soon. I've been doing this gig for five years now and have made tons of author friends. I think you might like their books. Here's their chance to convince you. 
 
I'll go first.
 
What finally made you decide to write a novel?
My husband was deployed for something like the fifth time. My kids were both in school. Army Wife things were okay, but mostly unfulfilling. I got bored and decided to write down the stories I told myself to help get to sleep at night. It took me almost seven years, but Witch Hazel & Wolfsbane was published in February 2019.
 
What is the most challenging aspect of being an author for you?
When I started, it was finishing a story. Now, hands down, it's marketing. I understand the concepts but seem to have a disconnect between the understanding and the implementation.
 
What piece of advice do you have for a new author?
Find a way to make writing a long-term, sustainable habit. That includes all the other authoring stuff like revising, editing, marketing, and business. This will differ from person to person based on care obligations, disability, jobs, strengths, personality, finances, and many, many other factors. And what works for one author won't work for another. Even if your very favorite author in the whole wide world swears by getting up at 4:30 every morning to write for an hour doesn't mean it will work for you. Some things you will know right away won't (or will) work for you. Detailed outlines have *never* worked for me. I either get bored or frustrated or both and only complete the project if required (hello college essays). There will be quite a bit of trial and error. And that's fine! If something isn't working for you, it's okay to stop and try something else. That thing might come in handy when you're at a different point in your story or career. Or maybe never. Keep what works, discard what doesn't. Don't feel guilty about either.
 
What do you need to set the mood for writing?
I have multicolor fairy lights on a soothing blinking pattern, a scented candle (which depends on mood and time of year, but often a woodsy smell), and the playlist for my book. That playlist can be very eclectic. When I'm in the throes of editing, I often switch to instrumental or spa-type music. I don't eat while writing. I like coffee in the morning and non-caffeinated hot tea (winter) or cold beverages (summer) in the afternoon.
 
What was your favorite book as a child?
I have a much beloved copy of Grimms' Fairy Tales. It's over 40 years old now and I remember reading it over and over as a kid. 
#MeetTheAuthor

My first Writing Tip Wednesday post. Comment below if there is something you'd like me to address in a future post.
This is a list of books I use all the damn time, the ones I keep in reach while planning, drafting, and revising.
 
Planning:
I keep my planning brief. I get bored if I plan too much, but my brain needs some basics to work with.

Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Broday
This is the quintessential three-act structure book. You can use it to come up with a basic tentpole beat sheet (main plot points) or detailed outline. You can use it before you write, while drafting, or in the revising process. 
 
Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes
Save the Cat is good for pretty much anything except Romance. It's not *bad* for romance, but it lumps it in with things that are decidedly not Romance. This short book helps. I use Save the Cat for the plot arcs and Romancing the Beat for the emotional arcs.
 
The Emotional Wound Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi
What's your character's trauma? What are some behaviors the reader can expect to see from someone with that trauma? What are some of their fears and what might help them get over it? This is a great reference to help you build relatable characters that resonate with readers. 
 
Drafting:
I use mainly online resources during my drafting process to keep in a flow state as much as possible, but there is one book I'll refer to occasionally. I'll cover online resources in a future post. 
 
The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi
What does it feel like, both mentally and physically, to experience anger? Sadness? What might it look like to an outside observer? What if you suppress it? What if it's too much? If I need to know a complex emotional reaction in order to complete the scene, chapter, or story, I refer to this during drafting. 
 
Revision:
 
Intuitive Editing by Tiffany Yates Martin. A master class in revising and editing in one book. Seriously, it took me years and many, many workshops and seminars to hone my process into something very similar to what Martin does in this one book. Get it, read it, implement the suggestions. Best $20 you'll spend.
 
Understanding Show Don't Tell by Janice Hardy
We hear it all the time, but what the hell does it mean? This is a short book with lots of great examples. And yes, you need both, the trick is to decide when to use each for best effect. 
 
The Chicago Guide to Copyediting Fiction by Amy J Schneider
As a writer, you can probably skip Part 1 unless you're desperately curious about an editor's workflow or if you're a completionist. But Parts 2 & 3 address common style, grammar, and formatting matters in fiction. Everything from how to format dialogue, language bloopers (such as mixed metaphors), and how to handle "naughty" words. I use this on one of my later passes, but it's helpful to understand what is considered standard and where you have room to add in your own style.
#WritingTips