Juliana Stone Author Interview ~ JeanBookNerd

Book Nerd Interview

Juliana Stone fell in love with her first book boyfriend when she was twelve. The boy was Ned, Nancy Drew’s boyfriend, and it began a lifelong obsession with books and romance. A tomboy at heart, she split her time between baseball, books, and music-three things that carried over into adulthood. She’s thrilled to be writing young adult as well as adult contemporary romance, and does so from her home somewhere in Canada.

Social Media

Was there a defining moment during your youth when you realized you wanted to be a writer?

I’m not sure if the defining moment was about writing, but I have a vivid memory of falling in love with books in the fifth grade. Finding my first Nancy Drew mystery in the library had me hooked and from there on in I always had a book in my bag!

Why is storytelling so important for all of us?

Culturally it’s always been important as a way of passing along our traditions and history. Now? I truly believe in our fast paced world it’s a means of enjoyment. A way of taking a step back and losing yourself in another world where you can just chill.

Beyond your own work (of course), what is your all-time favorite book and why? And what is your favorite book outside of your genre?

My all time favorite book would have to be The Bronze Horseman. This isn’t a book I’d normally pick up but I’m so glad I did. It’s a World War 2 period epic romance about a young Soviet girl and the red army soldier she falls in love with. I can’t describe how this book affected me other than to say weeks later I was still thinking about Tatiana and Alexander.

Fave book outside my genre? The Doors of Perception by Aldous Huxley.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received from another author?

Finish your book.

In your book; Boys Like You, can you tell my Book Nerd community a little about it?

Boys Like You is a story about two kids who learn to deal with the consequence to their actions. They learn to own past mistakes but more importantly they learn to accept forgiveness. Also….they fall in love!

For those who are unfamiliar with Monroe, how would you introduce her?

She’s very prickly at first, closed off and not really into living. But as Nathan works his way into her life, she starts to come alive and it’s a beautiful thing.

What are some of your current and future projects that you can share with us?

I’ve just handed in my second YA book and am currently working on JACK which is part of an adult contemporary romance series, The Family Simon!

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating Nathan?

I’m not sure much surprised me. I tend to write what I know and Nathan is part of me, both his musical inclinations and the way he acts around others.

When asked, what’s the one question you always answer with a lie?

My weight!! HA!

What’s the best advice you can give writers to help them develop their own unique voice and style?

Relax and let yourself WRITE. Your natural voice will shine through.

What's the most memorable summer job you've ever had?

I don’t know about memorable but hoeing corn fields was pretty brutal.

Who was your first boyfriend?

George Dailey.

Tell me about your first kiss

It was gross. Wet lips. Ugh. And George Dailey ceases to be my boyfriend soon after LOL

When was the last time you cried?

Yesterday, reading an update on a young girl with a rare and deadly cancer diagnosis.

What decade during the last century would you have chosen to be a teenager?

The 80’s rocked, so I have to pick that one!

Where can readers stalk you?

They can find me and my books at my website, www.julianastone.com or twitter @juliana_stone or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JulianaStone

One mistake.

And everything changes.

For Monroe Blackwell, one small mistake has torn her family apart –leaving her empty and broken. There’s a hole in her heart that nothing can fill. That no one can fill. And a summer in Louisiana with her Grandma isn’t going to change that…

Nathan Everets knows heartache first-hand when a car accident leaves his best friend in a coma. And it’s his fault. He should be the one lying in the hospital. The one who will never play guitar again. He doesn’t deserve forgiveness, and a court-appointed job at the Blackwell B&B isn’t going to change that…

Captivating and hopeful, this achingly poignant novel brings together two lost souls struggling with grief and guilt – looking for acceptance, so they can find forgiveness.