Can you share a little about your recent book?
In Raising Good Sons: Christian Parenting Principles for Nurturing Boys of Faith and Character, readers will learn how to lean on God through Scripture while raising boys who are not only resilient and morally grounded but also deeply rooted in their faith. Fifteen principles offer encouragement and scriptural wisdom and reminders that with God you are never lost or alone in your parenting journey.
Why do you write? Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books?
I’m passionate about family. I absolutely love encouraging families along this challenging, yet rewarding journey of life, and I am thrilled when God uses my written words to connect with families and point them towards Him.\, directly or indirectly.
How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing for a very long time, since about 1988. Early on, I wrote very part time because I was a new mom with an infant that before long turned into four kiddos born in nine years. And, I chose to homeschool our children. So, for a long time, I wrote part time, late at night.
And how long did it take you to get your first major book contract? Or are you published non-traditionally? How did that come about?
I received my first major book contract in early 2000. I wrote for over a dozen years before publishing a book. That contract came about by way of a writers’ conference in Washington State when I pitched my idea, 365 Days of Celebration and Praise: Daily Devotions and Activities for Homeschooling Families. It was certainly a fitting, first book for that stage of my life.
Which of your books is your favorite?
I have two favorites for different reasons, but both books are written for children. Children’s Bible Stories for Bedtime, published by Penguin Random House, will always be a favorite because I love the idea that children are reading about God’s Word through words that God enabled me to write. With more than 25,000 copies sold thus far, I treasure the thought of that many little ones getting to know Jesus with my words.
And tied for second, A Gingerbread House, is my debut children’s picture book and the fulfillment of my very first writing dream. Published last year by End Game Press, the story tells the rollicking tale of a grandfather and granddaughter creating a gingerbread house, one detail at a time, until the end of the story when the house becomes a home, compliments of the little girl’s precious idea.
Tell us about an award you won that was particularly meaningful.
Children’s Bible Stories for Bedtime won Selah Book of the Year in the Children’s Category, and I couldn’t have been more surprised or thrilled to hear the announcement!
How long does it take you to write a book?
Well, that varies from book to book. Several of my books have been work-for-hire projects, which means they are assigned by a publishing house. Work-for-hire assignments tend to have very short deadlines. My traditionally-published 365 Ways to Love Your Child: Turning Little Moments into Lasting Memories, published by Revell Publishers, took about six months to write. But last fall, my husband and I coauthored eighteen children’s educational books in less than two months.
What’s your writing work schedule like?
Now, I have the beauty of writing pretty-much most of the day. When I first started writing with infants and young kids, my writing day didn’t begin until about 9PM and ended usually about 2 or 2:30AM. Even after the kids got older, because I homeschooled, my writing hours stayed about the same. After graduating the kids, I finally worked on writing during the daytime hours, but after writing so long in the late-night hours, that still seems to be some of my best writing time. I can’t make it till 2AM very often now, but I’m typically up until about 1 or 1:30 most nights.
Do you have an interesting writing quirk? If so, what is it?
I don’t really think I have a quirk … I guess the only habit I have that might be considered a quirk is that I like to rock when I write. But interestingly, if I rock too long while I’m writing, I have a tendency to make myself carsick!
What has been the greatest joy in your writing career?
Probably my greatest joy in my writing career is the people I’ve come across in my writing journey. Whether that’s conference attendees that I’ve met, critique partners I’ve come to know, instructors I’ve learned from, or online friends, the people God’s placed in my path during my writing journey are probably the greatest joy of my career.
But two of my greatest adventures in my writing career include winning the 2014 Guideposts Writing Contest, which enabled me and eleven other winners to attend a week-long workshop intensive in New York to learn from Guideposts editors and having the opportunity to be a guest on Focus on the Family Broadcast with Jim Daly and John Fuller to talk about my book, 365 Ways to Love Your Child.
Could you tell us about a dark moment in your writing career?
One month before my book, 365 Ways to Love Your Child, launched my 47-year-old “baby” brother died of alcohol-related health issues. Timothy was a good man, a believer, and a devoted father who loved nothing more than serving others, but he couldn’t conquer his alcohol monsters. One of the last afternoons I spent with him, we talked about my new release, and though he’d never written an Amazon review in his life, he asked questions how to do that and promised to write one for me when the book released. Sadly, I never got that review from him.
How many times in your career have you experienced rejection? How did they shape you?
Too many to count. For me, rejections encouraged me to work even harder to meet my goals, to learn more by way of conferences or research, to try a different angle – like starting with magazine articles when I continued to receive rejections for book proposals, and to lean even more into the Lord for His will for my writing.
Where do you get your ideas?
Well, this question seems similar to the one about my writing theme or message – I feel like every idea I’ve had ultimately came from my family in some manner.
Who is your favorite author to read?
I like reading children’s chapter books when I have free time. I think that favorite author would have to be Taryn Souders and tied for first place is children’s chapter book author Sheila Turnage.
What advice can you give aspiring writers that you wished you had gotten, or that you wished you would have heeded?
Go to a conference and do your research. When I first started writing, I knew nothing about writing – and it showed with every query.
What are common mistakes you see aspiring writers make?
Though I know friends who’ve jumped right into a book contract with no publishing credits whatsoever, I believe most aspiring writers don’t realize the value of starting smaller to build up resume credits while seeking that first book contract. Magazine articles, blog posts, devotionals, and other short pieces are loads of fun to write and build up writing credits so a publisher will give your work a second glance.
Where/How do you recommend writers try to break into the market?
First and foremost, pray a lot! Ask God for wisdom and ask Him to guide you with everyting you write. If publication is His will, He’ll finish the job He began in your writing career. As mentioned above, start smaller to build up your resume. Go to writers’ conferences to meet editors in person and pitch directly to an editor at a conference. And never give up!
Julie Lavender is excited that her first faith-based book co-authored with her husband, Raising Good Sons: Christian Parenting Principles for Nurturing Boys of Faith and Character, joins her other Penguin Random House books on the shelves, like Children’s Bible Stories for Bedtime and Strength for All Seasons: A Mom’s Devotional of Powerful Verses and Prayers. She’s also the author of A Gingerbread House and 365 Ways to Love Your Child: Turning Little Moments into Lasting Memories. Julie’s thrilled that her now-retired husband, David, joins her along the writing journey. Besides Raising Good Sons, two additional co-authored Penguin Random House books release later this year, twelve co-authored children’s educational books make their way to public school libraries, followed by six more next year. Julie and David combine his wildlife biology and entomology experiences and her education and teaching experiences for books for little ones. A former homeschooling, military family, the Lavenders enjoyed raising and educating their kids in ten homes in six states. Julie and David are loving the retirement life, traveling often to visit their four kids, two sons-in-love, and three grandchildren.
Social Media/Website
- Facebook: JulieLavender.10
- Website: https://www.julielavenderwrites.com/
Books can be purchased or ordered from Amazon or any place that sells books.
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