Hi, I'm Julie!
Imagine.
Create.
Inspire.
I use these three words as my mantra whether I am writing books for children, visiting them in schools and libraries, or shepherding fellow writers toward achieving their own writing goals.
Imagination has always been my constant companion. I grew up in a small town in Northern Michigan. I lived on a lake in the woods with few children nearby, so from the earliest age I was staging stuffed animals and other toys as characters in the stories I invented. Often, those stories were inspired by the ones I learned to love in the pages of the many books I checked out from the library.
I cannot remember a time when I didn’t know how to read. I have always lived surrounded by books. Therefore, it’s probably no surprise that I ended up wanting to create my own. This too, I started at a young age, writing poetry and stories in notebooks with cartoon characters on the covers.
I continued writing through high school and college, but I didn’t consider writing a viable career. I spent many years working in the banking industry, always knowing that I longed to live a more creative life. After my children were born, I fell in love with children’s literature all over again, and longed to write books to inspire children the way I had been inspired myself.
Leaving that well-paying job was the scariest thing I’ve ever done, but also the most rewarding. I write books, I share them with children, and I help other authors do the same. I get to imagine, create, and inspire every day in my dream job, right from my desk in Boulder, Colorado. My children are now grown but still inspire me every day, as does my whoodle pup named Pepper and the view of Rocky Mountain National Park outside my window.
When I’m not writing or reading, I can be found hiking along trails near my house, cooking Italian-inspired dinners or, my favorite, traveling to Italy in search of the best gelateria in the country.
Official Bio
Julie Hedlund is an award-winning picture book author. Her titles include SONG AFTER SONG: The Musical Life of Julie Andrews, OVER, BEAR! UNDER, WHERE?, MY LOVE FOR YOU IS THE SUN, and A TROOP IS A GROUP OF MONKEYS. Her work explores themes of family, friendship, and the beauty of the natural world.
In addition to writing her own books, Julie helps fellow authors achieve their publishing dreams in her role as Founder of The 12 x 12 Picture Book Writing Challenge, co-Founder of The Complete Picture Book Submissions System, and a co-Founder of Picture Book Summit.
When not reading or writing, you can find Julie hiking the hills with her dog Pepper near her home in beautiful Boulder, CO, spending time with her now-grown children, or satisfying her wanderlust by traveling (especially to Italy). Find out more about Julie at juliehedlund.com and follow her on Instagram, X/Twitter & TikTok (@juliefhedlund).
A Little About Me!
What is your favorite animal?
Dogs, without question. They love unconditionally and enthusiastically. Before I got Pepper, we had a high-maintenance hound dog named Rocky who loved to find ways to escape the yard. As a child, we always had at least one dog, and I think they truly make a house a home.
What was your favorite book as a child?
Eloise, by Kay Thompson, illustrated by Hilari Knight. It was one of the few books I owned, so I was able to read it over and over. Plus, the idea of a naughty girl roaming around the Plaza Hotel in New York was so far from my own life, it gave me that magical experience of adventuring in the pages of a book.
What do you love most about writing for children?
I love the idea that one or more of my books might change a child’s life in a positive way, becoming a life-long companion. Children are the best readers – they are so open to possibility, to hope, and to learning.
What is the strangest thing you like to eat?
When I was a child, I loved drinking dill pickle juice! I would pour it from the jar into a paper cup and savor it slowly.
What is your favorite flavor of gelato?
It’s a toss-up between nocciola (hazelnut) and pistachio. They are both exquisite and can’t be captured properly outside of Italy.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Invisibility. That way, I could eavesdrop on conversations and get lots of story ideas!
Do you have a favorite sports team?
Michigan Wolverines. Go Blue!
