Julia Stilchen

  Interview Q/A with Anika Arrington Tell us a little about yourself and your background? I moved to Arizona when I was 4, and I’ve been here ever since. I’m married to the best guy ever! I just gave birth to my sixth child, and he is just scrumptious. I’m a huge believer in self-education and life long learning, so I read all kinds of non-fiction as well as fiction. I studied at Northern Arizona University for three years: political science, communications, and creative writing. Obviously only one of those really stuck.  Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?   That’s actually kind of a tricky question. Not because Rezdin isn’t special (he’s a wizard for crying out loud), but because he isn’t riveting in the way so many main characters are these days. He’s dry and witty, he’s naturally an introvert in a world where the extroverts get the praise and the glory (nothing we writer’s can relate to, right?), a...

I submitted the first page of my novel, Crimson, for a critique through Children's Book Hub earlier in the week. Will hear back by next week. Curious about the feedback. I really enjoy writing stories and feel passionate about it. Look forward to each step of this process and growing as a writer!

Excerpt from Crimson : Fablelands series by Julia Lela Stilchen Rumors about the shifters roaming at night, deep in the dark forest of Grimwood, were spreading like wildfire. When they gather in groups, their eyes ignite like blazing red spheres lurking out from the shadows. No one knows what the shifters do in their gatherings but many believe they are in search for a new victim. Children, like Hansel and Gretel, have mysteriously turned up missing. Something strange was happening in Northhaven and everyone was becoming paranoid. Red’s parents, in particular, began to barricade all the windows and doors. Her father purchased special candles, made from dragon whale wax, lighting them all around the cottage. He believed it would help mask their scent to prevent the shifters from tracking them. Recently, their daughter, Red had begun to sleepwalk. At first, they hoped it was a temporary phase and that everything would just go back to normal. Then, the...

What are ebooks and app books? It can be confusing. Distinguishing between the two can seem frustrating at first. I'd like to explain from my own experience how I define between the two. What Do They Have In Common? Firstly, they do have a few things in common: both contain stories and images, they are available digitally on hand held devices and computers, etc. What Is The Difference? A short and simple explanation: I would say it is in the level of experience. The level of interactivity (multi-touch vs. reading and static images only). eBooks An ebook is a digital version of a printed book. You have the text and/or images. You can highlight, bookmark and turn the page. Some ebooks are designed so that it can read to you or you can record your own voice. But that is pretty much the extent of the experience. Book Apps   Book apps, on the other hand, do all the above as an ebook but also allow the reader to experience interactivity that is beyond just reading or bei...

Being an advocate for autism is something I take quite seriously as I am a parent of a child who is on the autism spectrum and I understand the struggles that they face regularly on a day to day basis. The storybook app, The Mighty League, is wonderfully illustrated in a comic book style and the story is nicely written, flowing from one scene to the next. My son and I enjoyed this app as it gives insight from the perspective of a child with autism. The sounds that they encounter that are disturbing if not distracting, their tendency to specialize in a specified interest with large amounts of information on the subject they tend to study the most. These are some of the aspects that children on the autism spectrum face. I believe in raising awareness about autism and I am happy to share news of the storybook app serie, which was recently released. It is based on Jonathan Murphy's perspective, who grew up with Aspergers. I feel this is a great story that children with autism can...

I'm very excited to share that one of my chapter book stories, Crimson, is published in an anthology called, Teapot Tales: A Collection of Unique Fairy Tales. It was recently released on Amazon.com as an ebook along with a wonderful group of writers from the Chapter Book Challenge . My story is a different take on Red Ridding Hood. Retold as a chapter book.  A very special thanks to Becky Fyfe ! I'm very excited to have participated and have the opportunity to submit my story.