Julie Conrad

Discover Engaging Stories and Captivating Characters

Originally mainly poetry and short stories. I was inspired by the First world war poets Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon. Later O level English literature introduced me to Contemporary poets, Ted Hughes, Sylvia Plath, John Betjeman, Philip Larkin and Dylan Thomas. I read most of the books by George Orwell. Poetry catches both the ethos of the era and the age of the writer, their personal and emotional state and their belief system, also their understanding or confusion of the world they inhabited.

Throughout my life, I have used my imagination to escape routine and reality when restricted by circumstances, lack of funds or opportunity.

I consider self-publishing to be a remarkable opportunity for all writers. Amazon and other platforms have provided an outlet for people to share their work that might otherwise never see the light of day. Traditional publishing is a restrictive process where Editors have to judge what is profitable. They have a budget and want to invest their time, money and promotion in a winner, which means not many writers will succeed. It must be wonderful to have a publishing deal, to be guided and supported. However, because you don’t have one doesn’t make your work any less valid. Writing is the same as painting or any other creative process. The more you do it, the more you learn and improve.
I don’t have time to wait to be chosen by a publisher, and this is my time to write for people who enjoy psychological thrillers, mysteries and dramas. As Terry Wogan said, I shall keep writing whilst the creativity continues to flow. ‘If you only connect with one person, your job is done.’ I am pleased to say I have connected with far more than one, but you get the point.