After a near-fatal car accident, Julia turned to writing as part of recovery. Now, she crafts chilling stories that strip away the masks women wear, revealing emotional depth and damage.
Julia studied English and Arts Management at the University of Toronto, is a member of the Horror Writers Association, and her writing is featured in various international horror anthologies. She teaches mindful writing at Kristin Dwyer’s Breaking the Story Retreat and also works as a Communications Officer.
Follow Julia Jackson!
Website: juliajacksonauthor.com; gravebellespress.com
Instagram: instagram.com/juliajacksonauthor; instagram.com/gravebelles
LinkTree: linktr.ee/juliajacksonauthor; linktr.ee/gravebelles
QUESTIONS:
- Tell our readers a little about yourself and your writing (including publications).
I survived a near‑fatal car accident and turned to writing as part of my recovery. Now, I craft chilling stories that strip away the masks women wear. I’ve undergone more surgeries than Frankenstein, prowl the night like Batman, and conjure unforgettable heroes and monsters of my own. I independently published Powder & Poison in October 2025, as well as launched Grave Belles Press as a co-owner. My work appears in multiple international horror anthologies, and the Horror Writers Association selected my poetry for inclusion in their 2025 annual juried collection. I teach mindful writing at Kristin Dwyer’s Breaking the Story Retreat and when I’m not writing, I work in corporate communications and watch an arguably unhealthy amount of ghost‑hunting shows and horror movies. - What writing projects are you currently working on?
I’m currently drafting a found footage cult book that I’m not sharing too much about…yet! I’m querying TELL ME YOU LOVE ME, a novella with MAEVE FLY and SALTBURN vibes… Keep your fingers crossed for me finding the right agent!
I’m also working on a short story featuring a historical figure who you may not have heard of but will leave you horrified.
My debut, POWDER & POISON was just released as an audiobook on Audible!
I am the co-owner of Grave Belles Press, and we have some really wonderful projects on the go, including our upcoming anthology with the theme of a woman trapped (physically, emotionally, psychologically), THE CAGES WE ENDURE, is out October 6! Our medieval horror anthology, OF PLAGUES AND BLASPHEMY, released in May, featuring Saratoga Schaefer, Teagan Olivia King, Briana Mogan, CJ Subko, M. Stevenson, Amanda Havill Adgate, Ashley Graves, and me! Submissions are still open for our SUMMER SLASHER anthology call…but it closes August 31! And finally, we have a HUGE announcement coming in a few days! - Are you a daytime writer, a mid-day writer, a nighttime writer, or just someone who writes when the mood hits you?
I would LOVE to say I am an early morning writer, but I’m not very good at listening to my alarm clock in the morning! So, I am a late-night writer! I will say my best writing comes when I can get away for a few days and sit in a hotel room…with just me, my laptop, pizza, and copious amounts of diet coke. - Do you have a writing “Bucket List” (goals you want to accomplish as a writer)?
They seem to evolve. Originally, it was to just write a book. I accomplished that, and then fell in love so deeply with the craft my goal became publishing a book. I would love to have an agent one day, and continue indie pub along with trad. But the ultimate goal is to be a New York Times Bestseller… a lofty goal, but it was something I had told my dad I would do before he passed unexpectedly. - Who is your favorite author and why?
Amanda Havill Adgate. We live 800 miles apart but happened to be in the same writing group a few years ago and swapped pages. As soon as I read her first chapter, I knew she was my new favorite author and I asked her to be my CP (I joke that I tricked her into being my CP, but asked sounds so much less devious). Her work is unlike anything I’ve read… it is heartbreaking, yet beautiful, and her words haunt me in the best ways. - Who/what first inspired you to write?
I have always loved reading… THE HOBBIT was my bedtime story, and THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE was the first book I was truly obsessed with. And then I discovered Stephen King and fell for horror. I consumed horror books, shows, and movies…dreaming that one day I would write my own. - What was the first horror movie you ever saw?
The first horror movie I saw was A Nightmare on Elm Street. I was 4 years old. This explains so much in itself. - What is your favorite horror movie?
My favorite horror movie is Scream. I love the rules, the mystery, and the sheer horror of those closest to you being the monsters. - What is the worst horror movie you have ever seen?
The worst horror movie I’ve ever seen is The Hills Have Eyes (2006). I have never walked out of a movie theater, but the trailer scene made me run out of there. - Do you have any pets?
I have two stinky Boston Terriers, Nucky & Eli, named after the brothers in Boardwalk Empire. They are forever my fur babies, even if they are now 10 years old. - Do you ever base any characters on yourself? Give specifics in your books if possible.
I think all of my main characters are glimmers of me, but this is unintentional. Every time I finish a first draft and do a full read through, I realize the parts of myself that ended up on the page, and what I was trying to process in my real life while I was writing. Please note that the murdery parts of the book are no reflection of me in real life! - What advice would you give to someone who wants to be a writer?
When you first get started, it is easy to get bogged down with all the rules of writing, the publishing world, imposter syndrome, reader feedback, and playing the comparison game. Try to quiet the noise. Focus on your words. Tell your own story the way you want to write it.
Eric Woods, Author 