Julie Olivia (If It Makes You Happy) | Forced Proximity Interview
Book binding, bird watching, Animal Crossing, and roller coasters
As a kid, I didn’t live very close to roller coasters, but the few times in my childhood where a family road trip ended up near one, I was the first in line. I love the feeling of being dropped at high speed from a high height. There’s a reason my favorite place to drive is Utah (that 80MPH zone with basically no traffic for 50 miles in any direction… pure ecstacy). So when I discovered, on a ramble through Kindle Unlimited one day, an author who wrote a whole series set at a small town theme park, starting with a book about a roller coaster designer… I was hooked (wink wink, you’ll get it if you’re a true fan).
As such, I’m delighted (even more so than getting to drive 80 miles per hour legally) to finally have Julie Olivia on the newsletter! And if you haven’t yet, make sure to snag a copy of her latest release in the Never Harbor series, On Midnight Shores!
Forced Proximity: Thanks so much for agreeing to do an interview! Please introduce yourself, in as much or as little detail as you would give a new friend.
Julie Olivia: I'm Julie Olivia, and I write cozy love stories with spice!
How would you explain your latest book to a non-romance reader?
I released a book last fall, and the best way to describe it is: ALL the cozy vibes of fall cuddled into a single romance book! If It Makes You Happy spans from September to December, so it covers all the annual activities we know and love like fall festivals, trick or treating on Halloween, good food on Thanksgiving, and holiday snow days! It's also set in 1997, which adds a fun layer of nostalgia as well, especially for those who were kids at that time. Plus, there's a cozy bed and breakfast and a talking dog (trust me on this one, he's adorable).
How would you explain it to a regular reader of romance?
About the same except I'd add in that he's a single dad and a baker (swoon!). It's grumpy/sunshine (she's the grump) and friends-to-lovers. It's very much When Harry Met Sally meets Gilmore Girls.
What’s something you wish you knew at the beginning of your writing career?
Ahh, so much! The biggest thing I wish I'd known is to focus on your writing craft first and foremost. Find every writing book under the sun and read them all (and apply what you've learned)! Even if you think you know how to tell a story, there is still so much more to learn and so many ways to improve! I love when I get an "a-ha!" moment while reading.
What has surprised you about writing professionally?
As an indie author, nobody could have prepared me for the amount of work that isn't writing. Thankfully, I love admin stuff because I can put on some good music and get in the zone. But, this job can definitely be a grind and it never really ends. This job (once again, only speaking from my experience as an indie) is so much more than just writing and you've really gotta love it.
What’s your writing routine, if you have one?
I'm a morning person through and through. I normally get started around 7:30am, and that's my prime writing time. I break before lunch to get some exercise (either walking or the gym) then get back to it after. I try to stop working around 4pm or 5pm, but if I'm on a deadline or close to a release, those hours can look drastically different. Much, much longer days!
What hobbies do you have outside of work that aren’t literature-related?
I love drawing. I have a background in illustration and, since I don't do it in any professional capacity anymore, it's really nice to draw just for me. I also love cozy gaming (I have way too hours in Animal Crossing haha). I also do some occasionally book binding, and I've recently gotten into bird watching! I'm waiting for summer to kick back in so I can peruse more parks!
Which of your protagonists would you most like to be forced into proximity with?
Cassidy Davies (Out with the Tide) or Landon Arden (The Fiction Between Us). They're really outgoing, fun guys who don't know the meaning of "awkward" and, as a shy person, they wouldn't mind getting me out of my shell for a good time (not in that way haha).
How do you find new authors and books to try? Are you a casual browser, or do you have a network of trusted recommenders?
I'm mostly a browser! I let the TikTok algorithm do the work for me most of the time, and thankfully I get a nice variety of genres and authors. I also trade recs with my best friend (also a romance lover), and I live for buddy reads! As for specific creators, I really trust recs from @jennreadstoomuch, @loislanea, @smitty1423, and @grapiedeltaco. They've never led me astray.
Is there a romance trope that’s an auto-read for you? What about one you’re suspicious of unless a favorite author tries it out?
Childhood friends to lovers is my favorite trope. It's usually so wholesome and you get that extra, delicious layer of history that makes their connection that much deeper. As for a ~suspicious~ trope, I used to be wary about tropes surrounding secret/surprise babies, but Hannah Bonam-Young and Elsie Silver sold me on them ("Out on a Limb" and "Reckless" respectively)
What were the strategies you employed in the early days of your self-publishing journey? What were your priorities that allowed you to reach the readers who love you, they just didn’t realize it yet?
Instagram was my main strategy in the beginning. I personally messaged a lot of readers asking if they'd like an ARC, and some of those readers still read me today. It's so fun running into them at signings and them saying "you were my first ARC!" I love that so much. I also think a really big shift came when I started writing about my passions. I know that's so cheesy, but when I started diving into fun ideas that I was obsessed with (such as a whole series about a theme park or a book set in the 90s), I found my equally passionate readers. I was worried nobody would want a book in those settings, but it turns out that if you write what you love, it'll shine through in your words and readers will notice. You'll find your people.
What else do you want readers to know about you and your work, if anything?
I have so many ideas waiting in the wings that I can't wait to share! I'm so, so thankful that I'm able to do this. Romance readers embrace books with such excitement and it makes *me* excited too! If anyone has ever considered writing before, I highly recommend they explore it. There's so much joy in creating new worlds and having those characters in your head come to life. And, if you're up for others reading your work, do it! You never know where that path will take you.
Thanks again to Julie Olivia for being on the newsletter this week! Find more of her online: Official Website | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok
Next week, I’ll be recommending books with inheritance shenanigans at the center of their plots!
What should I be reading next? Let me know in the comments!
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Available now: my debut marriage of convenience romance Rehabbing the Billionaire! Buy your copy on Amazon, or snag it on Kindle Unlimited! Then, rate it on Goodreads to help more people discover it!