NOVEMBER 2025

Thankful for this crazy year…

Hi! It’s me, Julie.

Before you say a word about it…

I know. I know!

I’m unforgivably late in sending this newsletter.

I’m sorry. Genuinely. This month’s newsletter should’ve arrived days ago. And last month’s newsletter didn’t arrive at all.

In my defense, instead of popping into your inbox at the tail-end of October, I was in France for the first time ever, attending a three-day book festival. (Followed by week of actual vacation time, galavanting around Paris like a proper croissant-consuming, picture-snapping tourist.)

We have a lot to catch up on, including my recent travels, some bookish updates, holiday plans, and a brief overview of the rest of my year. (In short: more travel, much writing.)

So settle in, pour yourself a beverage (I’m drinking a cup of coffee, sincerely missing my daily French espressos) and let’s chat, my friends…

I didn’t quite know what to expect when my lovely French publisher extended an invitation to a three-day festival in Normandy. I’ve attended book signings before, of course, but never one on this scale. After this one, I can confidently say that the Festival New Romance is in a league all its own.

Three thousand book lovers swarmed into a huge venue in Le Havre… I had the honor of meeting so many of them. Not only meeting them, but sharing hugs, snapping photos, chatting about my characters, and signing their copies of THE WIND WEAVER. (The French edition is truly beautiful.)

The festival was exciting and exhausting and exhilarating. An experience beyond all my wildest expectations. It reminded me why I spend so many endless writing sessions toiling away over my keyboard. (People actually read my books! And enjoy them! How crazy is that?!) By the end of the third day, my feet were tired, my cheeks hurt from smiling, and my heart was brimming over.

In addition to all the readers, I also got to spend time with my fantastic agent, many French authors, as well as the amazing publishing team responsible for bringing my fantasy trilogy to France.

Here are a handful of photos from the experience! You can tell by my huge grin that I had a fantastic time. (There are many more photos over on my Instagram if you’re curious.)

Oh… did I mention the cherry on top of a wonderful weekend?

At the awards ceremony on Saturday evening, I was absolutely stunned silent when I received the “Meilleure Romance Étrangère” award for the best foreign romance of 2025.

I know what you’re thinking: “Julie? Silent? Impossible!”

But I truly was not expecting to win anything at all, as THE WIND WEAVER is my first translated title in the French market. To say I was speechless when they called my name is an understatement. I could barely form the words to squeak out a baffled, “Merci!”

You can watch the full moment here and read about it here.

After the ceremony, there was a masquerade-themed party! We danced the night away, only to wake up the next morning bright and early for another day of signing books.

The whole weekend was a whirlwind, but a very happy one. My only regret is that I don’t speak French. I will have to work on it if I’m ever lucky enough to return in the future.

When the festival came to an end, I hopped on a train from Le Havre to Paris. Somehow, in my 34 years of life, I’ve never made it there before! A visit was long overdue. But before I could turn into a full-on tourist, I had one more author event at a bookstore called FNAC, where I got to sign even more books and meet even more readers. It was relaxed in comparison to the festival, but no less special. I was honored so many readers came to see me!

When I wasn’t signing books in October and November, I was busy writing them. I’ve mentioned in previous newsletters that I’m working on something new — a dark dystopian fantasy. However, because my brain often flatly refuses to cooperate with my lofty ambitions, I’ve also been juggling a rom-com project at the same time… a third standalone in my spicy, spooky Witch City series.

So… which one will I finish first?

No one knows. Not even me. But I’m feeling inspired and (for now, at least) the words are flowing. I will hopefully have a better sense of release timelines by the end of the year. Stay tuned!

In other book-related news, advanced reader copies of THE SEA SPINNER are beginning to make their way out into the world. I’ll be posting some giveaway opportunities over on my Instagram for paperback proofs in the next few weeks. You can also request a copy on NetGalley or Edelweiss if you are a blogger.

So far, reactions to the ending have ranged from “OMFG THIS EXCEEDED EVERY EXPECTATION” to “YOU WILL BE HEARING FROM MY LAWYERS” to “I AM IN THE DEPTHS OF DESPAIR, JULIE.”

Yes, these are actual reader quotes. (LOL.) Needless to say, I am enjoying myself as the chaos unfolds, and I cannot freaking wait for the rest of you to get your hands on this tumultuous, tide-shifting story. All I can say is…

Brace yourselves!

Obligatory reminder: THE SEA SPINNER releases on April 28 in the USA, 30 April in the UK… and many more countries with release dates still to come. If you have the ability to place a pre-order, I would sincerely appreciate it. Pre-orders are the best way to tell my publisher that it’s worthwhile to print copies and provide marketing support.

My personal life this month can be divided into two halves: Paris and Post-Paris.

Once my authorly obligations were behind me, I unplugged completely from work and spent a glorious week being a tourist in the City of Lights.

It may have been my first visit to this gorgeous city, but it certainly will not be my last. I walked about a million miles, ate too many croissants, drank all the cappuccinos I could get my hands on, popped into countless cafes, and savored many, many glasses of Sancerre.

I listened to cathedral bells ringing on IÎle de la Cité, and wandered the Seine in the afternoons pretending to be Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina. I browsed books at Shakespeare and Co., stared at Van Gogh’s starry nights in the Musee d’Orsay, strolled the artists’ hills of Montmartre, and shopped at the cutest boutiques in Le Marais.

I was dizzied by manmade splendor at the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles, but equally dazzled by mother nature’s magnificent full moon shining down on the quiet streets at night. I watched the Eiffel Tower sparkle from the upper deck of a bateaux-mouche cruise, and witnessed no less than five different couples get engaged.

I left France after two weeks with a full heart, a few blisters, and some priceless memories.

Back home, I barely had time to acclimate from jet-lag, zero out my inbox, and pick up the neglected threads of my manuscripts before the Thanksgiving holiday rolled around. Frankly, after the chaos of the start of the month, I was happy for a chill holiday.

I stayed at home, ate a mellow meal, and read my book by the fireplace instead of doing anything elaborate. (I didn’t even make a turkey!) But as I ate my Thanksgiving lobster, I found myself reflecting on how very grateful I am for everything that happened this year.

2025 truly has been a rollercoaster of ups and downs. High highs, low lows. A year I will look back on as a catalyst that changed my career — and my life.

Much of that, I owe to all of you. My incredible readers. I hope you know how much I appreciate you all for coming on this crazy journey with me, whether you’ve read one JJ book or a dozen. Wherever you are in the world, please know how much you mean to me.

With November just about behind us, it’s time to take out my suitcase again... because I’ll be hopping on another plane before I know it. This time, I’m headed west to California, where I’ll get to meet my brand-new nephew and spend some time with family in Santa Cruz.

I’ll be back in Boston for Christmas, but I know (as it always does) December will fly by in a blink. I just hope I’m able to squeeze in some writing time between all the planes, trains, and holiday travel headaches…

Did I have time to read anything this month, you ask, with everything else going on in my life? Unsurprisingly, my TBR has been sorely neglected. However, I did purchase a lot of books. (That counts as reading, right?)

When I have some free time this month, I’m really looking forward to cracking open some of the very pretty hardcovers sitting on my shelves. A few on my December list: The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow, Alchemised by SenLinYu, Smoke and Scar by Gretchen Powell Fox, The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson, and The Knight and The Moth by Rachel Gillig.

As for TV/movies, I’ve been rewatching Stranger Things on Netflix in anticipation of the final season finally dropping. (I’m halfway through S2 at the moment, and I somehow forgot absolutely every single plot line?) I also recently really enjoyed the gritty crime drama Task on HBO, and the utterly addictive college saga Tell Me Lies on Hulu.

Oh, and I even made it to the theater not once but twice since we last spoke! A small miracle. I enjoyed seeing both Regretting You and Wicked: For Good on the big screen.

Wowza, that was a lot to unpack.

See, this is what happens when I miss a month! There’s simply too much to fit in a single newsletter.

I promise I will be back in your inbox at the end of December with more rambles about life, books, and everything in between. In the meantime, I’m wishing you a wonderful holiday season, full of all the best things. Twinkly lights and belly laughs and spiked egg nog and crisp wintery air and perfectly wrapped presents and good food and old friends and happy family and, and, and, and…

I love you all!

Until next time…